Father charged after found unresponsive in hot car in desert with 2 children

HENDERSON, Nev. — A Nevada man is facing charges after he and his two young children were found unresponsive inside an SUV in the desert on Monday as temperatures hit triple figures, authorities said.

>> Read more trending news

Brian Laugeson, 59, is facing two charges of suspicion of child abuse or neglect with substantial bodily harm, KSNV-TV reported

According to an arrest report released on Tuesday by the Henderson Police Department, Brian Laugeson, 59, may have been using drugs in his Ford Flex in the desert near Henderson, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Laugeson was found drifting in and out of consciousness while his two children, ages 3 and 4, were “naked and visibly suffering from heat-related illness,” the arrest report stated.

The temperature when the three were discovered was 105 degrees with 14% humidity, KLAS-TV reported.

The report added that one of the children was having a seizure, and all three were hospitalized, CNN reported. A court-ordered blood test showed that Laugeson “had ingested illegal narcotics,” according to the arrest report.

Laugeson and his children were listed in critical condition on Monday, the Review-Journal reported.

Police were called to an apartment complex in Henderson at about 9:46 a.m. PDT on Monday after receiving a report about a missing person, KLAS reported. Laugeson and his two children had not been seen for nearly 24 hours, according to the television station.

Police said that Laugeson, who is separated from his wife, had an agreement with his estranged spouse that he could have custody of the children over the weekend, the Review-Journal reported.

According to the police report, Laugeson and his two children were heading to a church in Henderson and were wearing church clothes, the newspaper reported.

They never arrived at the church, police said.

On Monday at around 12:09 p.m. PDT, police located Laugeson in a desert area near Cadiz Avenue and Parawan Street, KLAS reported. They found Laugeson and his children inside his vehicle, which had its windows cracked.

“This case remains open and active,” police said in a news release on Tuesday. “Therefore, no further information will be provided.”