Three Adults Arrested After Leaving Baby in Freezing Car While Bar Hopping

The Discovery

A night out in downtown Austin turned into a nightmare when officers found the baby and had to break a window of the vehicle to get the baby out . Gabrielle Aleman, 22, Isaiah Calvo, 25, and Jaslyn Tovar, 21, were arrested early on Dec. 15 and charged with child abandonment/endangerment with imminent danger of bodily injury or death . The 11-month-old infant was discovered after APD received a call from a woman that identified as Aleman's aunt stating that her niece had been arrested and left her infant child in a car downtown .

Austin Travis County Emergency Medical Services assessed the child and determined there were no obvious injuries and there was no need for hospitalization, though the vehicle was determined to have an ambient environmental temperature of 36 degrees Fahrenheit . The baby was found in a "well-documented dangerous high-crime area" near East Fifth Street and San Jacinto Street.

What makes this case particularly disturbing is the condition in which the child was found. The baby was left without "appropriate winter clothing" or a blanket and was found pinned under an improperly anchored carseat in the vehicle . The rescue occurred at approximately 1:25 a.m., after the child had been alone for nearly two hours in freezing temperatures.

The Adults' Night Out

The three adults began their evening around 10 p.m., with surveillance footage showing the three adults entering bars on Sixth Street around 9:56 p.m. and staying until their arrest at 11:42 p.m . Their arrest came not because they reported the abandoned child, but because they were caught violating pedestrian traffic laws while intoxicated.

When police attempted to cite them for the violations, Aleman and Calvo ignored the officer's commands to stop and "come here," according to the affidavit. Calvo complied, but Aleman again attempted to walk away until another officer caught up with her . Police noticed signs of both individuals being intoxicated and decided to place them under arrest for evading detention .

Perhaps most troubling, the suspects were taken to the Travis County Jail "without communicating or reporting anything of note to any of the several Austin police officers they came into contact with during this event" . They made no mention of the child they had left behind in dangerous conditions.

The Flawed Plan

During police interviews, investigators uncovered that the three adults had devised what they believed was a monitoring system. Police found out through interviews with the suspects that they had all been involved in a plan to monitor the child via FaceTime . This technological solution, however, proved inadequate for ensuring the safety of an infant in freezing weather.

In jail interviews, all three acknowledged they had left the child alone and could have prevented the situation . When questioned at the jail, Aleman said her son was with her sister in Lockhart , demonstrating either confusion or an attempt to mislead investigators about the child's whereabouts.

Legal Consequences and Child Safety

The suspects each face a second-degree felony charge of child abandonment with imminent danger of bodily injury or death . In Texas, this charge carries serious penalties, including potential prison time of two to twenty years and fines up to $10,000.

This incident highlights the critical dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, particularly during extreme weather conditions. Child safety experts consistently warn that cars can become death traps within minutes, with temperatures dropping or rising rapidly depending on outside conditions. The 36-degree temperature recorded in this case could have led to hypothermia in the infant.

The case serves as a stark reminder that no social activity justifies endangering a child's life. As Austin continues to grapple with nightlife safety issues, this incident underscores the need for better awareness about parental responsibilities and the severe legal consequences of child endangerment. The quick thinking of concerned citizens and the aunt who reported the situation likely prevented a tragedy that could have had far more devastating outcomes.