PHOENIX — Two Phoenix firefighters are facing felony child abuse charges after being accused of leaving their child in a car late last year.
It all happened in a parking lot in front of 5.11 Tactical, where someone ended up calling 911.
Court documents show Charles Boggiano and Jacqueline Arnold are accused of leaving their child by themselves in their vehicle in September 2023.
Someone who was near the store, located near SR-51 and Thomas Road, called 911 after seeing the child inside the car.
The Phoenix Police Department tells ABC15 they conducted an investigation and submitted the case to the county attorney.
Boggiano and Arnold were firefighters with the Phoenix Fire Department, until the department told ABC15 they were placed on administrative leave pending this investigation. We are working to find out if both are still with the department.
The case appears to be headed for trial, though the judge has sealed some of the court documents providing more details.
ABC15 reached out to David Black, the lawyer representing Arnold.
Black shared the following statement:
“This is not a child-in-a-hot-car case. Police and MCAO now concede that the car was running, and nobody disputes that the air-conditioning was on, as well. The doors were locked and the child’s father was watching the car the whole time. Even the 9-1-1 caller said the car was on and the child was not in distress. While my client regrets the attention this has garnered, the child was never in danger.”
ABC15 will keep up with this case as it progresses through the courts.
