Couple Suspected of Child Endangerment

An Oxnard couple were arrested over the weekend on suspicion of child endangerment after their two sons, ages 3 and 5, were allegedly found alone in their home--a converted garage in the 100 block of Imperial Street.

Marcelo Jimenez, 27, and Patricia Gomez, 30, were arrested at the Oxnard police station at 11:30 a.m. Saturday when they arrived to retrieve their children, who had been taken into protective custody, said Oxnard Police Officer Daniel Valdez.

Jimenez and Gomez, both farm laborers, were at work when a resident in their neighborhood alerted authorities that the children had been left unsupervised, said Oxnard Police Sgt. Tim Lumas.

Police said the children had been locked in the garage, and would have been unable to exit in the event of an emergency. The children also were unfamiliar with using a telephone, and would not have known how to dial 911, police said. Gomez was later released on bail. Jimenez remains in custody.