A New Mexico father, Stephan Natseway, 27, has been arrested and charged with child abuse and abandonment after allegedly leaving his twin 20-month-old sons in a vehicle for over two hours while he went dancing. Police discovered the children locked inside the car, parked outside The Dirty Bourbon Dance Hall & Saloon in Albuquerque, after security alerted authorities.
Law enforcement officers responded to the scene around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. Bodycam footage captured officers breaking into the car to rescue the boys, who were described as heavily sweating and lethargic. Officers noted that the car seats were not secured.
Temperatures in Albuquerque had reached approximately 73 degrees Fahrenheit after 11 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. In a parked car, ambient temperatures can cause interior temperatures to rise significantly, potentially reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit in 25 minutes and 115 degrees Fahrenheit within an hour.
Natseway reportedly identified the car as his and told police he wanted "time to himself." He claimed he attempted to contact family members to care for the children but stated no one was available. He also indicated that he would have left the bar earlier if he had not been dancing with others, according to the criminal complaint obtained by The Santa Fe New Mexican.
Prosecutors are seeking to detain Natseway before trial, citing that he endangered his children's lives and safety. They noted that the children are unable to care for themselves and could have been victims of kidnapping while unattended in the vehicle.
The children's mother has a prior child abuse charge from the previous year related to one of the boys suffering a broken arm while in her care, when she was allegedly heavily intoxicated. Natseway himself has reportedly been flagged by The Children, Youth and Families Department of New Mexico for failing to take one of the children to eight follow-up appointments and has been investigated for two prior neglect reports, though those allegations could not be substantiated.
Following their release from the hospital after an evaluation, the twin boys were placed with a family member. The New Mexico CYFD stated that due to the Indian Child Welfare Act, the appropriate tribe or pueblo was notified and initially assumed jurisdiction. After the tribe decided not to retain jurisdiction, CYFD will complete the investigation. The children remain with the family member, and Natseway has agreed to continue recommended family support services.