Father, grandfather charged with child neglect

A grandfather and father were jailed last week on child neglect charges after police found both men passed out in a car with two unresponsive children in the back seat.

Paul Houle, 51, and Paul Houle III, 22, were arrested in the Aug. 17 incident in the 2100 block of Main Street. Both men entered not guilty pleas on Thursday, Aug 23.

The children, ages 4 and 2, recovered at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and were placed into the care of Department of Children and Families.

Sarasota Police said a passer-by called 911 after noticing a teal Nissan Maxima sedan parked along Main Street with all its windows closed and no air conditioning running.

When police and fire-rescue units arrived, they woke up the men and children and removed them from the car. A police spokeswoman described their reported conditions as visibly sweating and pale. All four were taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Witnesses said they were in the closed car, parked in the sun, for about 25 minutes in the noon hour.

Police said both men were under the influence of alcohol. A beer and two bottles of rum were found in the car, and the elder Houle was found in possession of dextroamphetamine, a Schedule 2 controlled substance, similar to Adderall used in the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy, according to the Physician’s Desk Reference online edition.

Both men were arrested and transported to the Sarasota County Jail.  The 51-year-old Houle was charged with two charges of child neglect without great bodily harm and possession of a controlled substance.  The 22-year-old Houle was charged with two charges of child neglect without great bodily harm.