Coralville man faces child endangerment charges

CORALVILLE - A Coralville man faces child endangerment charges after passing out while caring for two young children.

According to Coralville police criminal complaints, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Sixth Avenue shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday for a child neglect complaint, Police said two children - ages 2 and 4 - were found several blocks away from the residence by themselves. Police said the children were dirty and reported that their caretaker fell asleep.

Police discovered 52-year-old Henry J. Rempt was supposed to be watching the children, but got drunk and passed out. When police spoke with Rempt, he had bloodshot, watery eyes, smelled like alcohol and provided a preliminary breath test of .15 percent.

The children's mother told police Rempt was supposed to be watching the children and she didn't know he had been drinking.

Rempt was arrested and faces two counts of child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor. and one count of public intoxication, a simple misdemeanor. If convicted, he could face up to four years in prison.