Horror unfolds: Four-year-old girl is trapped in car that is impounded overnight

A young girl was trapped inside her family’s minivan after police arrested the driver for intoxication.

The girl was sleeping in the back of the car and was overlooked by law enforcement officials. The police arrested the driver and also removed a 10-month-old-baby from the car. How they missed the four-year-old also in the car is unknown.

The minivan was taken to a tow lot with the sleeping child in the back. She was left in the car all night and was only discovered at 8.30am the following morning.

The girl had spent eight hours alone in the car, enduring very cold temperatures. When officials found her the next day they reported that she appeared to be in ok condition, but she was taken to hospital for further care.

“This is something that none of us would like to have happen to any of our children,” Jeff Polenske, City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works engineer, said in a press conference.

“As a father of three, this is something that… [is] very upsetting to me personally and certainly upsetting to all that were involved with this.”

The girl’s great aunt, Dynasty Davis, said the girl was in good spirits but said the family was frustrated because they didn’t understand why the whole van wasn’t searched.

“I couldn't even understand myself lasting that long. All those hours,” she added.

The investigation is continuing.