A young girl was taken into protective custody and one woman arrested Monday morning, after police were called in regards to a child left unattended in a car.
Cpl. Bryan Tepper confirmed police were called to the 2600-block of 152 Street around 11 a.m. May 2. Tepper could not disclose specifics, but confirmed one woman was arrested, and that officials with the Ministry of Children and Family Development had been called.
Cpl. Drew Grainger said later that a 47-year-old White Rock woman was arrested on alleged child-abandonment offences; her seven-year-old daughter remains in custody of the ministry.
One man who was having coffee nearby said he saw police arrest a woman who came out of a house behind the Blockbuster video store.
"They searched her and pulled some stuff out of her purse," said the man, who identified himself as Al.
The witness described the woman as in her mid-30s. He described the child, who he saw in a Nissan Ultima parked in front of the video store, as about five years old.
A young girl with dark hair could later be seen in the front passenger seat of a police car.
Nearby, a woman could be seen in the back of a second, unmarked car. Various paraphernalia, including a bag and a brown bottle, were on the vehicle's trunk and roof.
The woman, who appeared agitated, was to be taken to hospital, Tepper said.
Ministry officials arrived to take custody of the girl around noon.
The witness told Peace Arch News there have been concerns regarding a "crack shack" in the area for at least a year, and that Monday's arrest was not the first time police have been called to the scene.
"This house has tons of traffic," he said. "You can be sitting here at Starbucks for an hour and probably have 20 or 30 people go in.
"This has been a huge community concern."
Investigation is ongoing.