Two unfed sons found in car with drunk dad (Westboro, Rhode Island)

Dad ELVER V. PEREZ has been charged with DUI and child endangerment. His 8- and 11-year-old son are now with a paternal uncle. Why? Where is Mom? Why has she been erased from this story completely? Is she dead? Did Dad have custody or visitation? What?

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20110823/NEWS/108239952/0/business

2 unfed boys found in car with father in Westboro
Police say driver was drunk, passed out

By Elaine Thompson TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WESTBORO — Two young children of a Providence man found passed out in his car from too much alcohol Saturday told police they had not eaten all day.

Elmer V. Perez, 34, of 11 Gray St., Providence, was arraigned in Westboro District Court yesterday. He is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and child endangerment while driving under the influence of alcohol. His case was continued to tomorrow so a Spanish translator could be available.

Police arrested Mr. Perez at 9 p.m. Saturday after a trooper noticed him sleeping in his car, which was parked in the breakdown lane on Interstate 290 in Shrewsbury. Two boys in the car, ages 8 and 11, told the trooper that their father was tired. After police were able to rouse Mr. Perez, he failed field sobriety testing and refused to take a blood alcohol test.

Police said they noticed a strong odor of alcohol emanating from Mr. Perez and inside the car. They allegedly found an empty Corona beer bottle next to one of the boys on the front passenger-side floor as well as four other empty beer bottles on the back floor. There were also seven full bottles of beer in a cooler in the back of the vehicle, police said.

While their father was being booked, the boys told the troopers that they had been at the beach all night and were not fed at any point during the day. Mr. Perez’s brother took custody of the children.