Father Left Children In Car While He Drank, Police Say

Children Left In Car (Added: April 30, 2009)

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By Melissa Keeney
Published: May 01, 2009

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Two young children were left all alone inside a hot car, while police say their father was inside a Greer bar drinking.

The incident happened Wednesday night near the Great Bay Oyster House in downtown Greer, according to Greer Police. Police say a passerby noticed the two children strapped inside their carseat all alone in the parking lot and called police. When police arrived they say the officers were so worried about the children that they had to shine their flashlight inside the car to make sure they were still breathing.

"You never can tell what might have happened," said Lt. Jimmy Holcombe of the Greer Police Department. "Our officers responded and noticed the two children in the back of the car."

Police say that their father, 26-year old Jed Allyn West did not go far. He was right down the street at the local bar. Reports say that officers spotted the young father stumbling toward them with quite a story.

"Initially when we spoke to him he said he had only been there for 15 minutes," said Lt. Holcombe.

It turns out surveillance tape shows that West was partying for more than two hours. Too much time for officers to say that something could go wrong.

"That's dangerous," Holcombe said. "It's also dangerous just leaving em unattended, anybody could have come by got the kids out of the car, and could have gone in any different direction."

Instead the kids are okay and went with police, while their father went to jail.

"You don't want to see the people that are supposed to be responsible for juveniles be so irresponsible," Holcombe said.

West has been charged with two counts child neglect. But police say he's lucky.

"It could have been worse." "It could have been worse."

The children are staying with family members.