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Father Accused Of 'Hotboxing' Son In Car

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A man accused of endangering his child by allowing him to remain inside a car filled with marijuana smoke denied the allegations and said he never would have allowed his son to be put into a dangerous situation.

The Sacramento Police Department said officers pulled over a vehicle carrying two adults and a child in South Sacramento on Wednesday, finding a car that was allegedly so thick with smoke that officers couldn't immediately see the two-year-old boy in the back seat.

The child's father, J.C. Monroe, disputed the account in a jailhouse interview with CBS13 and vehemently denied that anyone had been "hotboxing" inside the vehicle.

"My son was in the car, there was some smoke, but it was not a hotbox," Monroe said. His friend, who has a medical marijuana card, had just taken his first puff when officers pulled them over, he added.

"Hotboxing" is a slang term that describes smoking marijuana in a small, enclosed space, allowing the smoke to remain in the air for as long as possible.

Monroe said he loves his son and his two young daughters, and although he will likely miss his youngest daughter's first birthday, he plans to fight the charges and hopes to be home by Christmas.

Monroe was arrested on charges of child abuse and probation violation and is being held on $82,000 bond. The boy's mother has taken custody of the child.

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