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Children left in hot car rescued
Father arrested after Simi police are called to scene
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More from Local NewsTwo small children were treated for heat exposure at Simi Valley Hospital and released Friday after they were found strapped in their car seats inside a closed vehicle, police said.
Police were notified that the youngsters were in distress because of the heat about 11 a.m., said Sgt. John Adamczyk. When officers arrived at the scene in the 2600 block of Jones Way, they found a 2-year-old girl and 1-year-old boy inside the vehicle.
One of the people who had notified police had opened the vehicle by the time officers arrived.
Police said they found the children's father, Daniel Barola of Simi Valley, at a nearby business. Barola was arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment, police said. The two children were given to their mother after being released from the hospital, police said.
The rescue came as temperatures climbed into the mid-80s in Simi Valley on Friday. Police said it can get much hotter inside a closed vehicle.
"We just want to remind everyone to be aware that the summer months are coming," Adamczyk said. "If you leave pets or kids in the car, you're exposing them to great risk, possibly death. It is also against the law."
A Simi Valley woman was arrested in connection with the death of her two young sons in August 2001. The boys, a 3-year-old and 13-month-old, were found dead inside a vehicle outside their home. Authorities later learned the woman had gone to sleep inside the home and left the children in the vehicle in 90-degree heat.
The woman was sentenced to a year in jail, ordered to attend classes for child abuse and told to complete 500 hours of community service.
The temperature is expected to climb into the mid-80s in Simi Valley today and into the mid-90s on Sunday.
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Posted by godslove1 on April 26, 2008 at 3:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OMG!!! One year for killing her 2 children?? That is a difficult one to wrap my head around...
Posted by ecarson1958 on April 26, 2008 at 5:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
She was let off easy because she was drunk!!!
Posted by lrgvanman on April 26, 2008 at 6:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you really loved your children, why would you put them in a hot oven?
Posted by AnnaWhaat on April 26, 2008 at 6:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree she didn't get near enough time. Its sad that a childs life doesn't mean more to the prosecutor and Judge!
And this guy should get an automatic year in jail. Attempted Murder. What was he doing anyhow? It said they found him. Please if you can't take loving care of your children either do not have them or give them to someone who can't have children and would do so!!!!!
Posted by keepin_it_real on April 26, 2008 at 7:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO HEAR ABOUT THESE STORIES BEFORE PEOPLE LEARN!!!!! If I am correct, one of the people opened the car while waiting for police. Was this car also unlocked. If it was, these kids could have been kidnapped!!! If you can't or don't want to take your children inside with you when you shop or do business, leave them at home with someone who will take care of them or don't go!!!!! Thank goodness they are ok.
I agree, the other woman should have recieved harsher punishment for MURDERING her children. We have seen others get more time for doing much less than this.
It is summer, and how many more children are going to have to suffer before these irresponsible adults get their heads out of their behinds. I think they have the attitude that it is just a few minutes and it won't happen to me.
I hate to say it, but we will probably will be hearing stories about kids drowning in pools too because of a gate left unlocked or no gate or a child just wasn't looked after. I realize some of these are accidents, however, in more cases than not it could have been prevented.
Posted by catlover on April 26, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is common sense. Regardless if it's summer or winter, you don't leave your kids inside a car. There are crazy people out there and you just don't know what could happen. As far as this moron, he should be placed in a car seat in July in Simi Valley and see how he likes it.
Dummy!
Posted by bob100 on April 26, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just so you know, it was Judge Clark that gave that mom who killed her two kids in Simi Valley jail rather than prison. The prosecution asked for prison.
Posted by santabarbarasand on April 26, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is sad to hear, especially when I highly doubt that ANYONE can claim that they didn't know that it was dangerous to leave kids in a parked car. This issue has been all over the news and yet we still hear of it. There was a father last year who forgot to drop his baby at day care and left the baby in the hot car all day while he worked... only to find him dead there later.
There are sensors in cars to remind you to put your seat belt on, why not some type of car seat sensor that goes off when the car is off and there is still weight in the seat? While I can't think of any good reason a parent would forget their child, even if they are sleeping in the car, it happens and I think that there are more things that can be done to be proactive. I'm just glad that the two children mentioned in this article are okay! Too often that is not the case...
Posted by keepin_it_real on April 26, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
santabarbarasand--I understand what you are saying and I agree with it you. We should't need sensors to remind us that we are leaving our kids in the car. This is common sense. It is just irresponsible. People need to take responsibility for there own actions and not have to be reminded of everything. Especially something as serious as this...
Posted by whatever on April 26, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
People like him make me sick! Lets put him in a secure device in a car while it is hot and lets all stand around and watch him fry! Some people should never have kids and he is one of them. I hope these kids learn about how there father thought so little of them, so when they are adults they can despise him.
Posted by jmcgaw3046 on April 26, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It happens all over the country. People don't want to have some one watch their kid so they take them with them on a short trip. they have what they feel will be a few mintues to run into the store or what every and do their business. So rather then taking the trouble to get the kids our of the car seat they leave them in the car, however the thing that was suppose to be just run in and out of the store take a lot longer so then the kids suffer and may die. Take the time,to take the kid with you and that goes for your pet too.
Watch you kids, no matter where and in the car, and around water. SAVE A LIFE
Posted by julie_mae on April 26, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I personally think these people have found the one way to kill the kids and not get in any trouble for it....most of these folks do not go to jail because they've already "lost" everything.
And why did this woman get sentenced to child abuse classes when her kids were all dead?
Posted by theonlycapsfan on April 26, 2008 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have actually make a point to glance at the windows of cars parked around me when I go somewhere...you never know if you might see a child or animal in distress from someone's neglect...
It's weird...is it just me, or has this been happening more lately? Are we adults becoming so self-consumed and distracted with our busy lives that we are no longer able to prioritize things correctly and remember our children? Scary...
Posted by Face on April 26, 2008 at 2:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Murder? No. Manslaughter? Yes. These children should be remanded to the state permanently and the parent responsible should be sterilized.
Posted by slkrchck on April 26, 2008 at 8:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i heard simi reached 101 today.........these idiots have no business siring children.
i saw a man whip up to the gas pump today. he had a (possibly) two year old strapped into the front passenger seat. not a child seat, just a seat belt. and in the FRONT! he left the child inside to go pay for the gas. i hope he was caught.
Posted by AnnaWhaat on April 27, 2008 at 10:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
slkrchck ,I would have got his license plate number and called police. They could have probably beat him home and caught him. People do the stupidest stuff these days....I feel so bad for these babies!!!!!!!
Posted by Demigogue on April 28, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
slkrchck - You are being pretty ridiculous. So you're saying that the driver you're talking about pulled up to a shaded gas station pump (when are they not?) and left his child unattended in the car for roughly 1 - 2 minutes at most while paying for gas?
Posted by SocalJen08 on April 28, 2008 at 12:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is so sad. I see it all the time too. Parents will leave a sleeping child strapped into his or her car seat parked in the driveway because the child has fallen asleep & the parents dont want to wake them. Its not safe for anyone to be left in a hot car let alone a 20 pound child! It just takes common sense. I swear people should have to take a test to qualify to be parents.
Posted by tiredofviolence on April 30, 2008 at 9:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Demigogue-
I think what he/she was saying is that the kid was little (2 yrs old) and the child wasnt even in a car seat, and it was also strapped in the FRONT seat. They have to be in car seats in the back - by law
Posted by iam_caine on April 30, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"OMG!!! One year for killing her 2 children?? That is a difficult one to wrap my head around..."
Yeah, if it had been her dog instead of her kids, she would have gotten 5 years!
Posted by Metalhaid on April 30, 2008 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Face, you have made the best argument against these breeding losers. If you "accidentally" leave your kids in the car to die, then you should lose your "right" to breed and should be sterilized. Unfortunately it is ultimately the taxpayers who will pay--either for abortions or for sterilization. At least, sterilization is only performed once.
Posted by Kreemac70 on May 1, 2008 at 12:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I accidentally locked my daughter in the car when she was 20 mns old...in the parking lot of the grocery store, in the middle of TO in the dead heat of summer. I broke the window open to get her out within minutes. She was already dripping sweat after just a few minutes. I have always thought of this when I read articles of parents leaving their precious children in the car. Breaks my heart wide open.
Posted by FedUp on May 1, 2008 at 3:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"slkrchck - You are being pretty ridiculous. So you're saying that the driver you're talking about pulled up to a shaded gas station pump (when are they not?) and left his child unattended in the car for roughly 1 - 2 minutes at most while paying for gas?"
I dont see how it is being ridiculous. kids are kidnapped all the time now. you should never leave a child alone for any amount of time in public. you are just asking for trouble. and if this child was not even in a car seat, doubly worse. I would have called the cops right then.
Posted by ReverendJamal on May 4, 2008 at 7:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Demigogue----i think he was more upset at the fact that a 2 yr old was in the front seat and not in a child seat....2 strikes...that's what i'd be pissed about
Posted by AnnaWhaat on May 5, 2008 at 6:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I for one would be pretty upset if I saw a two year old buckled into the seat of a car without a proper car seat required by law !!!!!!
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