Attorney: ’3-year-old girl got in the car without her parents knowing and fell asleep’

July 29, 2014
(KTLA screen capture)

(KTLA screen capture)

By Lee Woo-su

The parents arrested in Brea for leaving their 3-year-old daughter in their hot car said Monday that they did not know she was in the car.

Mother Ho Kim, 33, and father Tae Kim, 35, had handed the kids over to Tae Kim’s family for babysitting after getting out of church, their attorney told The Korea Times.

“Of the three kids, their second-oldest daughter got in the car without her parents knowing and fell asleep,” he said.

Children’s services came by the house to inspect the children and found no evidence of child neglect, he said. They have been allowed to remain with their parents.

The Kims were arrested Sunday on suspicion of felony child endangerment after police found the 3-year-old girl left inside a minivan at Brea Mall around 4:45 p.m.

The temperature inside the car was 104 degrees, police said. The girl was in the vehicle for 15 to 20 minutes but was reported in good condition.

The Kims posted their $100,000 bail Monday after being arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment and have reportedly returned home.