'How long have these kids been in here?': 2 children discovered living inside U-Haul van with couple passed out at gas station, cops say

Insets: Vilmarie Acosta Diaz and Arian Hernandez Hernandez. Background: The van, allegedly filled with drugs, with 2 kids surviving wrong astatine a Florida state presumption (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office).

A Florida mates was passed retired successful a U-Haul van with 2 unsecured kids successful the back, which was filled with drugs wrong arm's reach, cops say.

Vilmarie Acosta Diaz, 46, faces 2 counts of child abuse and drug-related charges, portion 44-year-old Arian Hernandez Hernandez was arrested connected a driving nether the power charge.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said successful a press release that deputies responded astir 7:30 a.m. Saturday to a state presumption successful the 6300 artifact of North Dale Mabry Highway successful Tampa for a telephone astir 2 unresponsive radical successful a U-Haul van.

Deputies ordered Acosta Diaz, the kids' mother, and Hernandez, who was successful the driver's seat, retired of the van. Both suspects were initially unresponsive, cops said. They appeared to beryllium "dazed, confused and disoriented" erstwhile they woke up, cops wrote successful a probable origin apprehension affidavit.

When Acosta Diaz exited the van, cops allegedly recovered a baggie containing a "white crystalline substance" that aboriginal tested affirmative for methamphetamine. Hernandez had red, glossy eyes and was unsteady connected his feet, cops said.

There were besides 2 children successful the backmost of the van, which didn't person immoderate seats.

"How agelong person these kids been successful here?" a lawman asked successful body camera footage released by the agency.

The backmost of the van appeared to beryllium a surviving space, cops wrote. Acosta Diaz besides allegedly had Xanax pills that were not prescribed to her. Deputies allegedly recovered musculus relaxers, immoderate of which were wrong scope of the children.

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Deputies arrested the couple. Acosta Diaz remains astatine the Hillsborough County Jail connected a $15,800 bond, portion Hernandez has a $500 bond.

"There is nary excuse for this," Sheriff Chad Chronister said successful a statement. "Two children, nary car seats, drugs wrong arm's reach, and an impaired operator down the wheel. These kids deserved better."

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