Five small children, ranging in ages from 1 to 13 years old, were discovered in a makeshift crate in the bed of a truck on Interstate 40 in Southern California Tuesday, leading to the arrest of three for child endangerment, authorities said.
Deputies from the Colorado River Station of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department received a report of children riding unrestrained in a small crate in the back of a pickup truck at Fenner’s rest stop off of Interstate 40 Tuesday at 2 p.m.
The truck was pulled over in Needles, California, near the Arizona border.
Five children were found inside a wooden box in the bed of the truck with no air conditioning, ventilation, or water in 100-degree heat.
Drugs and a shotgun were also found inside the truck, authorities said.
Kenneth Standridge, 40, a Sacarmento resident, was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, felon in possession of a firearm and suspicion of driving under the influence. Hiss bail was set at $75,000.
Zona Brasier, 39, also a Sacramento resident, was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, and bail was set at $150,000.
Aushajuan Hardy, 41, was wanted on a no bail felony warrant out of Sacramento, authorities said. He was on parole pn Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS). He was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and the no bail warrant.
Anyone with information on the situation was asked to call Colorado River Station at 760-326-9200. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can call 1-800-788-CRIME (27463).
