Police: Dad grabs drink while kids play outside bar (Des Moines, Iowa)

Dad BRIAN MARTIN has been charged with child endangerment and public intoxication. Police say that Daddy left his kids--ages 4, 6, and 8--"to play" in the parking lot, while he was inside a bar sucking down cold ones. Given that Dad's BAC was .233 and he had only been in there "5 to 10 minutes," it sounds like he was sucking down cold ones at a pretty efficient rate.

http://www.kcci.com/news/23656459/detail.html

Police: Father Grabs Drink While Kids Play Outside Bar
POSTED: 10:08 am CDT May 24, 2010
UPDATED: 11:41 am CDT May 24, 2010

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Des Moines police said a father was charged with child endangerment and public intoxication during an incident late Sunday.

Police said Brian Martin, 29, of Des Moines, was charged with three counts of child endangerment.

Police said officers were called to Carl's Place at 16th Street and Woodland Avenue at 11 p.m.

Officers were told that Martin was in the bar while his three children were outside in the parking lot. Officers said they observed Martin attempting to walk across the street and his children ages 4, 6, and 8 running freely near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr Parkway and Woodland Avenue.

Martin told officers he went into Carl's Place to order a drink. The bartender said he was inside 5 to 10 minutes, police said.

Two customers on the deck said they observed the children unattended near the intersection. The customers told police the were worried for the children's safety and thought they might get hit by a car.

Police said that a preliminary alcohol blood test showed Martin's BAC at .233.

Martin told officers "maybe I'm not in any condition to take care of my kids." Officers called the children's mother, who came to pick them up.