3 children found locked in idling car outside Walmart — with loaded gun, NH cops say

An idling car in a Walmart parking lot had three children locked in it, and with them was a loaded gun, according to the Manchester Police Department in New Hampshire.

The discovery was made around 5:20 p.m. Monday, July 4, at the Walmart in south Manchester on Gold Street, police said in a news release. Manchester is about 70 miles northwest of Boston.

Officers responded to a report of children left unattended at the store, which maintained normal business hours on the July 4th holiday.

“Police located the vehicle and found the three children, ages 9, 1, and 8 months, in the back seat,” police said.

“The car was locked and running. Witnesses told police the children had been alone for approximately 20 minutes.”

A 27-year-old man exited the Walmart “soon after” and investigators determined he left the children unsupervised while he shopped.

Officers searched the car and found a loaded gun in a backpack “that was accessible to the children,” police said. “A knife was also located in the bag.”

The man was charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

Investigators did not report if the suspect was their father and did not say who assumed custody of the children after his arrest.

This story was originally published July 6, 2022 at 7:18 AM with the headline "3 children found locked in idling car outside Walmart — with loaded gun, NH cops say."