San Fernando Valley : Child Endangerment Charges

A Canoga Park couple who allegedly left their children in a car in 100-degree heat while he and his wife shopped at a Northridge department store were charged with child endangerment Tuesday, authorities said.

Luis Filiberto Hernandez, 27, and his wife, Theresa, 32, are accused of leaving their 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son in the family’s 1986 Isuzu parked outside a Strouds store for an hour last Friday, said Deputy City Atty. Terri Siegel.

Luis Hernandez pleaded no contest to one count of child endangerment and was sentenced to five days in jail and ordered to pay $200 in restitution, perform 100 hours of community service and take a six-month parenting program, according to Mike Qualls of the Los Angeles city attorney’s office.

Theresa Hernandez was released on her own recognizance and will be arraigned Aug. 2, Qualls said.

A mall security guard said she found the children in the unlocked car--the girl unconscious on the floor and her brother on the back seat of the car just after 1 p.m. and revived the children with water, Siegel said.