Denver, CO
Car gets towed in Denver area with sleeping teenager inside
A 13-year-old boy is back safe with his family, but not before quite a scare for his mom. Police say he was sleeping in a car in Lakewood that ended up getting towed on Friday, and the Denver tow driver had no idea.
That resulted in a very tense scene when police responded to the hotel where it happened.
“When a call comes in like this? Obviously, everyone’s on high alert,” said John Romero, the Public Information Officer for the Lakewood Police Department.
In the morning the employees at the Baymont Inn & Suites off West 6th Avenue and Simms Street were surprised by a panicking guest.
“A woman went to front desk security and was yelling that something had happened to her child,” said Romero.
The woman didn’t speak English well, but they were able to deduce that her car had been stolen with her 13-year-old son in it. The hotel called Lakewood police.
“When our agents arrived, it became very apparent that a child, a male child, was taken, at some point,” said Romero.
The car had been a Hertz rental car at some point, so police were able to track it.
“As that vehicle moved into Denver, we also, caught up with Denver police, and they helped us in the search as well,” said Romero.
Eventually they found the car at an impound lot in Denver. It turns out the car had been repossessed and the missing child was still asleep in the back seat.
“The child did not wake up when the car was repossessed and actually did not wake up until our agents were knocking on the window, to wake him up at the tow yard where they eventually stopped,” said Romero.
The tow truck driver didn’t know the child was asleep in the car, only that it was a legitimate repossession from the parking lot of the hotel.
“It appears that the family was guests of the hotel when all this happened. Again, they were parked outside. They were doing some laundry in preparation to drive out to the East Coast when the vehicle was repossessed,” said Romero.
So, what seemed to be a terrifying situation, turned out to be an honest mistake.
“There will be no charges, for the family or the tow truck driver. It was a mistake. Obviously, the repo, is a matter between the family, and the company that they’re dealing with,” said Romero.
A Lakewood police agent did give that child a ride back here to be reunited with his family after they woke him up.
Denver, CO
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The University of Denver will close the Ricks Center for Gifted Children next year as enrollment has fallen in recent years, the college announced this week.
The Ricks Center, which serves gifted children as young as 3 years old, will operate for the 2026-27 academic year before closing, according to a letter DU sent parents on Wednesday.
“The University of Denver has made the difficult decision to close the Ricks Center for Gifted Children at the conclusion of the 2026–2027 academic year,” spokesman Jon Stone said in a statement. “This decision reflects long-term operational and financial considerations and is not a reflection of the school’s quality, leadership, or community.”
The center, which is located on DU’s campus, was started in 1984 as the University Center for Gifted Young Children. The program offers classes to students in preschool through eighth grade, according to the website.
The program, along with other public K-12 schools in the state, has experienced declining enrollment in recent years. The center enrolled 142 students for the 2025-26 academic year, which is down from 200 pupils four years ago.
The center will hold a meeting about the pending closure on March 6 for parents.
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David Fountaine Black
OBITUARY
Dave and Martha and their three boys moved to Denver in 1974 when Dave started work at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. He and a business partner later purchased Mid-America Plating Company. Dave operated Mid-America for 36 years and finally retired in 2018.
He was a great golfer and natural athlete. Dave was an avid runner, and for many years, he woke up before the sun to get his miles in before work. He and Martha loved playing bridge with friends, gardening – growing fruit and flowers – and spending time outside relaxing and walking on the High Line Canal Trail and in Bible Park. Dave and Martha enjoyed getting back to Arizona during the winter at their Tucson home. They loved spending time with their family.
Dave passed away on February 20, 2026. He is loved by family and friends and will be missed. Dave was a hard-working, kind, optimistic, and thoughtful person who leaves the world a better place. He is survived by his wife, Martha, and his three sons, Dave (Robin), Tom (Debbie), Eric (Kendra), as well as six grandchildren and three great grandchildren, Casey (Nicole), Jake (Ashleigh and great granddaughter Faye), Hailey (Robby and great granddaughter Jensen), Keenan (Nicole and great granddaughter Olivia), Griffin, and Addie (Erik).
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