VIDALIA — Two West Monroe, La., residents were arrested Saturday after leaving an infant unsupervised on the hood of their car at the Vidalia Riverfront while they fished in the Mississippi River.

A Vidalia Police Department officer responded to a call of an unsupervised infant near the boat ramp on the riverfront at approximately 11:23 a.m. Saturday, Police Chief Arthur Lewis said.

Upon arrival, the officer reportedly saw Marcella Cooper Watson, 32, who was identified as the mother of the infant, pick up the 2-week-old infant from a car seat that was on the hood of the car with no protection or cover from the sun.

The officer stated in his police report he could hear the infant crying and noticed the infant was “severely red in color.”

Watson told the officer she had only been fishing a short time and didn’t realize the infant was so sunburned.

The infant was placed in the front seat of the patrol car in the shade and air conditioning until an ambulance arrived.

David Lee Ramey, 33, walked up to the officer and said he and his friend had left to get more ice and other items while his girlfriend stayed and looked after the child.

Ramey told the officer he hadn’t been gone for more than 15 minutes and that the infant “hasn’t been out here long,” according to the report.

Medical personnel arrived, checked the infant’s vital signs and didn’t see any signs of fever.

The infant was transported to Riverland Medical Center to be checked for sunburn and dehydration.

Louisiana Child Protective Services was contacted and later took custody of the infant.

Witnesses at the scene and who called the police department initially stated they saw the infant and heard her crying at 8 a.m. when they left the dock. The witnesses said the infant was still there and crying when they returned three hours later at 11 a.m., prompting them to call police.

Watson and Ramey were arrested and charged with cruelty to a juvenile and improper supervision of a juvenile.

Judge Leo Boothe set bonds for the parents at $5,500 Wednesday.

They remained in the Concordia Parish Jail as of Wednesday evening.