A 10-month-old baby boy and a 4-year-old boy were left alone in car with the air conditioner running while their parents were inside the Caddo Parish Courthouse getting a marriage license.

Caddo deputies were alerted to the situation by a courthouse employee who saw the children and a large dog inside a Kia Optima after noontime today. The car was parked in a lot on McNeil Street.

Deputies were searching the courthouse for the owners of the car when Courtney Carroll, 23, of Ball, and Garrett Poole, 22, of Pollock, arrived back at their vehicle with marriage license in hand. Deputies had been looking for the couple for about 20 minutes. It is not known yet exactly how long the children had been left alone in the running car before they were discovered.

Sheriff’s Lt. Mark Gay said the air conditioner in the car was operating; the car doors were unlocked and one door was ajar. The children were checked out by the Shreveport Fire Department and were said to be okay.

Carroll and Poole were arrested for child desertion and are awaiting booking at the Caddo Correctional Center. The children were released into the custody of Child Protective Services and were expected to be reunited with other family members later today. The dog was released to Caddo Parish Animal Control.