Dad charge with leaving nine-month-old baby in sweltering car 'as he went to strip club'

A dad has been charged with child cruelty after he allegedly left his baby daughter in a hot car while he visited a strip club. The nine-month-old was found in the sweltering vehicle after passers-by heard her cries, police said.

The tot was taken to hospital where she was treated for dehydration. Auwin Dargin, 24, was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment with a $100,000 (£69,500) bail charge.

The baby girl was found by passers-by near Synn Gentleman’s Club in the City of Industry district of Los Angeles, USA, officers said.In a statement, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office said: "The baby was found alive in the car by employees of the club and a neighbouring business who then rescued her and allegedly confronted Dargin as he stepped outside of the club."

It is claimed the passers-by refused to let him take his daughter and stayed with her until officers arrived. According to reports in the United States, the baby girl had been left in the car while suffering temperatures of 25C. The child was released into the custody of her mother, following hospital treatment for dehydration, it has been claimed.

Officer Chacon said: “[The father] basically was not thinking, is what he said.” He added: “I thought it was unbelievable. I could not believe a father would put his child in that type of danger.”