BURLINGTON - A South Point man was arrested Friday after allegedly leaving his 8- and 4-year-old daughters alone in a cold car while he and his girlfriend went shopping at the Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Larry Blankenship, 35, of 46 Private Drive 9992, is charged with two counts of child endangerment. According to a Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office report, deputy Andrew Sisler was called to the store parking lot Friday by store employees who spotted two young girls alone in a car with no heater running to keep them warm in the 18-degree cold.

After speaking with the girls, Sisler stated in his report store employees summoned Blankenship and his friend, who said they had been inside the store 20 minutes.

&uot;They advised me the reason they left the children in the car was because they were buying presents for the children’s birthdays and didn’t want the children to know what they bought. Note: The children’s birthdays are July 3 and July 4,&uot; Sisler stated in his report.

Blankenship was taken to jail; children’s services was contacted. The two girls were released to family members. The girlfriend was not charged.