Father Leaves 5-Year-Old Alone in Car on a Cold Night to Go to a Bar, Loaded Gun and Unknown Substance Found Inside Vehicle

Miguel Silva, Jr.

In Glendale, Arizona, a father was taken into custody and charged with abuse and endangerment after his 5-year-old son was discovered wandering near a busy road in urine-soaked clothing over the weekend.

Per court records, a 38-year-old man named Miguel Silva, Jr. left a boy in his vehicle while he visited a bar located near 51st Avenue and Camelback Road around 1 a.m. on Saturday.


According to court documents, the street where the car was parked is a highly congested road with a lot of traffic.

The young boy left the car to seek assistance from individuals in the area to help locate his father. Law enforcement was notified and the officers who arrived were able to obtain the name of the boy’s father from him.

The restaurant owners assisted the police in determining which car the boy had been in. The police were able to locate the father by using the car’s registration information.

During the process, the child was presented with a photo of Silva and confirmed to authorities that he was his biological father.

According to authorities, the temperature at the time the child was discovered that evening was 45 degrees. Furthermore, the vehicle in which the boy was abandoned was chilly to the touch when officers checked its hood. It was determined that the car had been turned off for a considerable amount of time. During the investigating, when officers inspected the vehicle the child was in, they did not find any blankets or warm clothing available for the child’s use. In addition, the boy had urinated on himself and his clothing was soiled.

Silva was found by the police inside the bar.

According to court documents, the officers who made the arrest stated that Silva was speaking incoherently and continuously apologizing.

Based on legal records, when authorities inquired Silva about his son’s whereabouts, he informed them that the child was with his mother. However, when the mother was reached out to, she stated to the officers that she had not seen her son since he left for school on Friday morning.

During the search of the father’s car, police discovered a loaded firearm, a transparent bag of white substance, and three ammunition magazines inside the car where the boy had been abandoned.

Charges of child abuse, emotional abuse, and endangerment are being faced by Silva.

Police turned the child over to his mother.