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Parents Accused Of Leaving 2-Year-Old Alone In Vehicle

  A birthday celebration ended a bit early for a Las Cruces couple suspected of leaving their toddler alone in a vehicle while they patronized a local restaurant.

Yacxubelli Grado-Garcia, 22, and Ramiro Hernandez, 29, are both charged with one count of negligent child abuse.

Las Cruces Police were called shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday, April 10, to the Applebee’s restaurant at 2501 E. Lohman Ave. Once there, officers learned that an employee of the restaurant had gone outside and noticed a 2-year-old girl, unsupervised and in a child safety seat, in a black Chevrolet Silverado that was in the parking lot.

Detectives learned that Grado-Garcia and Hernandez went to the restaurant to celebrate Grado-Garcia’s birthday. The couple entered the restaurant shortly before midnight and ordered two 23-ounce mugs of beer and an appetizer. Approximately 20 minutes later, the couple placed another order for two more beer.

A receipt from Applebee’s revealed that the couple was in the restaurant for more than 50 minutes.

Grado-Garcia indicated to police that the couple’s daughter was asleep when they arrived at the restaurant and they did not want to wake her, so they left her alone in the pickup.

Grado-Garcia and Hernandez were booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center with bonds set at $10,000 each. A sibling of Hernandez took custody of the young girl who showed no signs of injury.