By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter) & Patrick Burles (@PatrickBurles on Twitter)

City Police rescue 2 young children locked in freezing vehicle

Dec 16, 2016 | 7:46 AM

LETHBRIDGE — It’s a warning most often heard in the summer months when it is hot but, the same principle applies in the winter – or any time of the year.

On Thursday evening (Dec. 15), Lethbridge Police rescued a three-year-old girl and four-year-old boy who had been left unattended for an extended period of time inside a locked vehicle in -18 C weather.

Police responded around 11:30-pm, to a report of a child crying inside a locked, shut-off vehicle parked along the 200 block of 5 Street South.

Officers found a toddler in a car seat who was crying, shivering and in distress. Police broke a window to gain entry and discovered a second young child under a pile of clothes. Both children were taken to hospital as a precaution and, fortunately, were uninjured.

LPS Staff Sgt. Leon Borbandy, met with the media Friday (Dec. 16), to discuss where the investigation took officers next.

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“Upon further investigation, we located a 31-year old woman and a 24-year old woman – who were determined to be the mothers of the children – inside a nearby bar,” stated Borbandy, who noted that staff at Studio 54 were very concerned and helpful in the investigation. “Using video surveillance supplied to us by the bar, we determined that the children were left unattended for over an hour.”

Borbandy also noted that without someone stopping to call them, things could have ended much worse.

“It kind of goes without saying, however, children – especially young children – rely on adults in their lives to look after them. Young children should never be left un-attended in vehicles, regardless of the time of year. We are very fortunate and appreciative that a concerned citizen did call us, and we were able to respond promptly to prevent the situation from ending in tragedy.

“I believe if the children were left for longer, it could have been a fatality,” added Borbandy.

The women – who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the children – are each charged with one count of failing to provide the necessities of life.

They are in custody awaiting a hearing and the children are now in the care of a relative.