British children found locked in stifling car in Tenerife
A baby and 7-year-old girl were abandoned in the sweltering Spanish heat with nothing but yoghurts and juice
In a disturbing incident, two young British girls, aged 1 and 7, were discovered locked inside a stifling hot car in Tenerife, with the windows rolled up and only a bag of yoghurts and juice to sustain them. The Arona Local Police are now searching for a 38-year-old man who initially denied being the father of the siblings and fled the scene.
The incident, which took place on the evening of Monday June 17, outside the Apolo Commercial Centre in Los Cristianos, has only recently come to light through a detailed police report.
A 34-year-old woman from Las Galletas raised the alarm after spotting the baby inside the vehicle. The older sister soon emerged and claimed their father was at a hairdressers inside the shopping centre before locking herself back in the car.
As 15 minutes ticked by with no sign of the parents, the concerned resident contacted the authorities. Police officers arrived and convinced the older girl to unlock the vehicle. Inside, they found passports and a car rental contract, identifying the sisters and their alleged father.
Four officers searched the shopping centre and eventually located a man they believed to be the dad, but this individual denied this and fled. It later turned out that he had given a false name.
Instead of checking on the welfare of his small children, the suspect sent a 35-year-old Polish friend to collect them from the car.
However, police refused to release the minors until their parents were properly identified. Even with the Polish man's continuous requests, the father refused to return to the scene. Officers then informed the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office, and the girls were transferred to the Nuestra Señora de la Paz Maternal Centre in La Laguna.
The girls' mother, a 27-year-old British tourist, soon arrived and identified herself to the police. After verifying her identity and informing her of the situation, the officers handed over the care of the children.
The matter is now being treated as a case of child abandonment and officials are trying to track down the father, who will likely be prosecuted.
Images: Policía Local de Canarias
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