On one of the coldest nights of the season, police video shows two young kids sitting alone at a bus stop after their drunk dad left them alone there.
“[The child] just said his daddy left him to go get more beers,” said a witness to police.
On Saturday, Oct. 27, Albuquerque Police were dispatched to a Circle K on Juan Tabo and Lomas. Witnesses told police they saw a 3-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl sitting at a nearby bus stop alone, shivering and crying.
“So, I went over there and she was like, ‘My daddy left me, my daddy left me, my daddy left me,'” said the witness.
According to a police report, Anthony Manzanares was drinking at known homeless hangout, Los Altos Park, with a woman and his two kids.
“He drank two Bud Lights, two Natural Lights and then he drank two Fireballs,” said his daughter.
There, some kind of fight ensued and he left with his kids. After leaving the park, the kids say their drunk dad took them to a bus stop and then just walked away.
“He said, ‘Where’s my beer?’ and he just took off,” said his daughter.
The kids told witnesses and police they lost track of how long they were on the bench, just saying it was ‘a long time.’
By the time police arrived on the scene, Manzanares had returned. He didn’t understand what he did wrong, saying he was just around the corner ‘meeting a friend.’
Police questioned Manzanares, asking him if he was buying or selling drugs. He said no and no drugs were found on him.
At the end of the night when police were arresting Manzanares, he still wasn’t sure why he was being arrested.
Manzanares: “Why are you putting on cuffs?”
Officer: “Well you’re going to be arrested for child abuse”
At the gas and police station, Manzanares told police his daughter was ‘a brat’ and ‘a drama queen.’
That night, his daughter also told police that Manzanares punched her in the nose ‘during a fit of rage.’ However, he is not facing charges for child abuse.
He is charged with ‘intentionally placing a child in a situation where the life of a child is endangered’ and is pleading not guilty.
KRQE News 13 confirmed that CYFD already had a file on this family and is now working on a ‘safety plan’ with the father. The kids are in the custody of a family member.
