Police investigation underway after children left behind following arrest at traffic stop in Hazelwood
By Alexis Zotos
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HAZELWOOD, Missouri (KMOV) — Hazelwood Police Chief James Hudanick says an internal investigation is underway after a traffic stop Wednesday night.
It happened around 11:30 pm near Lindberg and McDonnell. Joseph Hibler was pulled over for an expired license plate on his way home from a funeral.
Hibler says the officer told him he had an open warrant. The warrant stemmed from a citation from 2018 over no vehicle insurance. He described what was going through his mind when the officer told him to get out of the car and handcuff him.
“My children are in the car. There’s no way they’re going to take me away from my children,” Hibler said
A bystander captured the traffic stop on camera. Hibler is heard saying it “isn’t even serious” as police hold him against the squad car and moments later tase him.
Meanwhile, the four kids, ages 14, 13, 11 and one year old, sit in the car. The video shows police drive Hibler away and then check on the kids, asking if any of them have a driver’s license. But then officers leave the scene. Video from the bystander shows the car on the side of the road with the children inside.
“What the hell? Who would leave minors in the car by themselves late at night,” is the question JaCee Robertson can’t stop asking.
She was still at her father’s funeral when she got the text from her fiancé that he had been pulled over. She finally reached her children who were hysterical. She drove the route home and found them.
“We see them on the side of the road, with the door open, the headlights on, the car still running,” said Robertson.
Hazelwood Police Chief Hudanick says it is their policy that minors should not be left unattended. The internal investigation will look into use of force from this incident as well as the policy surrounding passengers in the car. First Alert Four is working to learn the status of the offices and additional details of the investigation.
Hibler was released Thursday morning and no charges have been filed surrounding the traffic stop at this time.
This is a developing story.
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