A Kansas couple was arrested after being accused of leaving their six children, including two seven-month-old babies, alone in a car exposed to high temperatures while they went to eat at a Wingstop restaurant.

According to the Salina Police Department, Michael Krueger, 53, and Tiffany Krueger, 40, left the minors inside the vehicle for approximately 20 to 30 minutes on July 8, until a witness alerted authorities by calling 911.

Agents located the six minors around 2:00 p.m. They were two seven-month-old twins, a 2-year-old boy, a 4-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy and a 13-year-old teenager, KADN reported.

The vehicle was off and the temperature reached 97 degrees

According to the police report, the car remained with the engine off and only had one window slightly open.

That day, the temperature outside was 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Authorities recalled that, under these conditions, the temperature inside a vehicle can quickly rise to potentially fatal levels.

The six minors were evaluated by paramedics before being taken into the custody of child protective services.

Although none had serious medical problems, Sergeant Aaron Melby of the Salina Police Department explained that assessing the health status of such young babies can be especially complex. He added that, at the moment, none have complications.

The parents each face six counts of child endangerment.

Michael and Tiffany Krueger were arrested and charged with six felony counts of aggravated endangerment of a minor, one for each of their children.

The criminal complaint maintains that both acted recklessly by allowing the minors to remain in a situation that put their lives, physical integrity and health at risk.

The couple appeared before a judge for the first time on Friday and have a new hearing scheduled for Monday. If convicted, they could face sentences of between five and 17 months in prison for each of the charges, according to Kansas law.

Authorities remind of the risk of leaving children inside vehicles

After the case, authorities insisted that the interior of a car can heat up quickly and become an extremely dangerous space for minors.

Sergeant Melby warned that vehicles can reach temperatures well above ambient temperatures, while Chad Scoville of the Salina Fire Department recalled that a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than that of an adult.

Officials urged people to immediately call 911 when they see a minor alone in a vehicle on a hot day. They also recalled that the legislation protects citizens who act in good faith to report these types of emergencies.

“It may seem uncomfortable to get children out of the car and back in, but that decision can mean the difference between life and death,” officials said.