Recent events in Bexar County have shed light on the dangers of leaving children unattended in cars. In the latest incident, two children, aged 3 and 5, were left alone in a car outside a Family Dollar store in Northeast Bexar County.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a crash on North Foster Road near Lakeview Drive, but upon arrival, discovered that there was no crash. Instead, they found a 5-year-old child who had been behind the wheel of a car and had backed the vehicle into traffic.

Witnesses reported seeing the car backing out of the store parking lot and onto the roadway, with a child climbing out of the car in the middle of the street. Deputies rescued the 3-year-old child to safety.

After hitting a curb in the parking lot, witnesses realized that the driver was a 5-year-old child. Fortunately, neither child was injured in the incident.

The father of the children, Derrick Deloach, Sr., 41, was at the scene and explained that he had left the car running with the children sleeping inside for about 10 minutes while he shopped. He was arrested on charges of child abandonment/endangerment.

Child Protective Services was also involved in the case, with an open investigation ongoing. Another incident involved a local parent whose 5-year-old daughter was left alone in a running car that was towed away, leading to a swift rescue at a tow yard.

Police are considering criminal charges against the tow truck driver in that case. These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles.

Stay tuned for more updates on this story.