Toddler found alone on boat in Southern California marina; mother arrested
LOS ANGELES – A mother and her companion are facing child endangerment charges after a toddler was found alone on a boat in Marina del Rey over the weekend.
Authorities received a call from a concerned citizen who saw the unattended toddler around 4:40 p.m. Sunday.
The child was said to be lying precariously on the swimstep of a power boat in Basin B, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department stated in an Instagram post.
“Our Harbor Patrol boat, as well as assisting patrol units, quickly responded [to] the location and discovered the toddler alone on the boat,” the post read.
The child was turned over the the Department of Children and Family Services after a medical assessment.
“Fearing the worst, deputies requested additional resources to search for the toddlers missing guardian(s),” the sheriff’s department stated in its post.
An underwater search was even conducted by Los Angeles County Fire Department lifeguards.
The child’s mother and a male companion showed up several hours later and were arrested, the Westside Current reported.
Both were facing child endangerment charges, according to the sheriff’s department.
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Authorities encouraged the public to stay alert and notify them if they see anything suspicious.
“In this instance they most likely saved the life of an innocent toddler,” the sheriff’s department said, referring to the caller.
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