The child’s mother and a male companion were arrested
California officials rescued a toddler left unattended on a boat in Marina del Rey on Sunday.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department received a call at around 4:40 p.m. from a concerned citizen who spotted the toddler on the swimstep of a power boat, the department said in an Instagram post .
Officials found the child alone on the boat. Deputies began searching for the child’s missing parent, “fearing the worst.” County fire officials conducted an underwater search.
The mother of the child and a male companion were later found and arrested for child endangerment, KABC reported.
Fire officials medically evaluated the toddler, who was turned over to the Department of Children and Family Services.
The sheriff’s department thanked the concerned citizen for speaking up.
“In this instance, they most likely saved the life of an innocent toddler,” the sheriff’s department said.