SALINA, Kan. — Two parents are facing multiple felony charges after allegedly leaving six children inside a hot vehicle outside a Salina restaurant on Wednesday afternoon during near-record summer heat.
Officers were dispatched to the Wingstop parking lot at 1621 S. Ohio Street just after 2:00 p.m. following reports of children left inside a parked car, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.
Upon arrival, officers discovered six children—including two 7-month-old infants, a 2-year-old, a 4-year-old, a 5-year-old, and a 13-year-old—inside a vehicle that was turned off. Police noted that the vehicle’s air conditioning was not running and only a single window was left partially rolled down. At the time of the incident, the outside temperature had soared to 97 degrees, with a heat index reaching a dangerous 102 degrees.
The parents, identified as Michael Krueger, 53, and Tiffany Krueger, 40, both of Salina, were located by police inside the restaurant.
Witnesses at the scene told investigators that the couple had been inside the business for approximately 20 to 30 minutes and had not checked on the children during that time.
Salina EMS personnel responded to the scene to evaluate the children for heat-related illnesses. Following the medical evaluation, all six children were placed into protective custody.
Michael and Tiffany Krueger were arrested at the scene and booked into the Saline County Jail. Both face six requested counts of aggravated endangerment of a child. The incident remains under active investigation by local law enforcement.
