Parents of Napa toddler left inside car arrested; child recovers at hospital

NAPA, Calif. (KGO) -- The parents a Napa toddler were arrested last week after their child was found alone and unconscious inside their truck at the parking lot of a Big 5 Store in Napa.

Police responded to a report of child neglect on the 1300 block of Trancas Street around 5 p.m. Aug. 21 and found a boy between the ages of 1- to 3-years old inside a burgundy Chevy Tahoe, according to authorities. The boy had been left alone for at least 25 minutes.

As police and paramedics approached the car, the boy's parents, Iveth Gutierrez, 22, and Adelaido Salazar, 40, both of Napa, and their four-year-old daughter, were exiting a nearby Payless Shoe Source store. Police said the child was breathing, but was not responsive, police said.

Paramedics attended to the child and the boy was taken to Queen of the Valley Medical Center by ambulance, police said. The boy regained consciousness at the hospital and was in good condition.

A hospital official said if police hadn't intervened, the child would have suffered serious injury, if not death, if left in that environment.

Police arrested the parents on felony charges of willful cruelty to a child and they were booked into Napa County jail. The boy and his sister were placed in Child Protective Services.