Two children, 6 and 8 years old, were found crying in the trunk of a car Sunday in Highland, and their Wildomar father was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and arrested on suspicion of child cruelty, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Deputies were called out at 10:44 p.m. Aug. 4 to the area of Base Line and Palm Avenue, where somebody told sheriff's dispatch they'd seen "a child in the trunk of a black Cadillac that was in the drive-thru of the Bakers Restaurant," Highland Station personnel said.
Law enforcement arrived and saw the vehicle trying to make a u-turn to go east on Base Line. They did a traffic stop and a woman identified as the children's mother, April Burgo, 32, of Escondido, was driving, deputies said.
"A strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitted from the inside of the vehicle," deputies said.
Law officers asked the driver to open the trunk of the vehicle and she hesitated, deputies said.
"When the trunk of the vehicle was opened, a six-year-old male and eight-year-old female were found lying inside the trunk crying," deputies said.
The children's father, identified as Richard Burgo, 29, of Wildomar, was sitting in the rear passenger side of the vehicle, deputies said.
The Burgos and a third suspect, Brandon Rampani, 33, Escondido, were all allegedly under the influence of alcoholic beverages and deputies believe they all knew the children were locked in the trunk, Highland Station personnel said.
It was not clear from Sheriff's Department accounts how long the children had been in the trunk. They were turned over to a family member.
The suspects were booked at Central Detention Center on suspicion of cruelty to a child. All three were out of custody as of Monday morning, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Department said.
Anyone with more info was urged to call Highland Station Sgt. Eddie Gonzalez or Deputy Gary Brandt at (909) 425-9793.
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