An Arizona couple is under scrutiny after police said they drunkenly took their two young children on a grueling walk through Glendale in dangerous 108-degree heat.
Ryan and May Mullin were seen walking with their children, ages 2 and 4, around 6 p.m. Sunday as temperatures remained scorching, KBTX reported.
May allegedly told authorities the family had been on foot for roughly three hours after leaving an Arizona Cardinals practice at State Farm Stadium.
A concerned driver first noticed the family and contacted Glendale Police, saying she became alarmed after watching Ryan trip over one of his children and then cross a road without the rest of his family, according to police.
The good Samaritan said she pulled up beside the family and offered them a ride in an effort to get the children out of the extreme heat.
Instead, police said, Ryan became angry and punched the vehicle, causing him to lose his balance, fall and injure his face.
Investigators said the witness also reported that May appeared intoxicated and may have been vomiting.
A police officer later said he saw the unsteady father trying to cross the street with one of the children and moved to stop them.
The dad ignored the officer’s commands to stop, grabbing his child by the wrist and refused to let go, police said.
The apparently intoxicated Ryan eventually let go of his kid’s hand, but only after the officer threatened to use force, cops said.
Officers said the two had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and reeked of alcohol.
May told officers that her kids drank two bottles of water, according to court documents, but police said one of those bottles was still half full.
The husband and wife were then booked on child abuse charges.
Neither Ryan nor May could be reached for comment.
