A car was towed with 5-year-old toddler inside. Mother flagged down Fresno police for help

A parked vehicle was towed away while a 5-year-old girl was sleeping inside it outside an apartment complex in west Fresno.

Fresno Police Lt. Bill Dooley said an officer was flagged down by Latonya Sweet, the mother of the toddler, around 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Apple Creek Apartments on Polk Avenue.

Sweet advised the officer a tow truck had just towed her vehicle with her daughter still inside.

According to Sweet, she had arrived at her apartment and parked in a location marked for no parking. She intended to park there temporarily as she opened her garage.

However, a driver from West Coast Towing observed her parking violation and advised that it was illegal for her to park there. Sweet explained what she was doing and continued in opening her garage.

While Sweet was out of sight, the tow truck driver loaded her car and began to drive away, not aware that Sweet’s daughter was inside.

“This behavior is totally unacceptable and need to be brought to light to possibly prevent this from happening to anyone else,” Sweet told The Bee.

The tow truck was quickly located and the child who was unaware of what happened was reunited with her mother, Dooley said.

The driver was released at the scene, but an investigation is on-going to determine if charges will be filed.