Joe Kurihara, 23 (Pasadena PD) |
PASADENA (KTLA) -- A West Covina father has been sentenced to a year in jail and a residential drug treatment program for leaving his 3-year-old son alone in a car for an entire day after getting drunk.
Joe Louie Kurihara, 23, must also attend a year of parenting classes, and he will be on probation for five years.
Kurihara pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony count of child abuse, as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and public intoxication.
Police say 3-year-old Dylan Kurihara was forgotten in the car by his drunk father on October 16.
When Joe Kurihara was taken into custody for public drunkenness and resisting arrest , he didn't mention, and apparently didn't remember, that he had his son with him when he left a wedding party earlier that evening.
Authorities feared the boy had been abducted, and launched a search involving dozens of officers and volunteers.
Dylan was found 25 hours later, still strapped into his car seat in a parking structure in the area of Madison Avenue and Green Street.
Rowdy Metzger, a Pasadena resident, saw and recognized the boy inside his father's missing silver 2001 Lexus four-door sedan and called authorities.
The boy was a little dehydrated and covered in urine, but otherwise in good condition.
Kurihara is challenging an order to pay restitution totaling $16,202.
Joe Louie Kurihara, 23, must also attend a year of parenting classes, and he will be on probation for five years.
Kurihara pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony count of child abuse, as well as misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and public intoxication.
Police say 3-year-old Dylan Kurihara was forgotten in the car by his drunk father on October 16.
When Joe Kurihara was taken into custody for public drunkenness and resisting arrest , he didn't mention, and apparently didn't remember, that he had his son with him when he left a wedding party earlier that evening.
Authorities feared the boy had been abducted, and launched a search involving dozens of officers and volunteers.
Dylan was found 25 hours later, still strapped into his car seat in a parking structure in the area of Madison Avenue and Green Street.
Rowdy Metzger, a Pasadena resident, saw and recognized the boy inside his father's missing silver 2001 Lexus four-door sedan and called authorities.
The boy was a little dehydrated and covered in urine, but otherwise in good condition.
Kurihara is challenging an order to pay restitution totaling $16,202.
