An Alice Springs couple that ditched five children and a baby kangaroo in a car for more than two hours in 40-degree heat so it could gamble and drink have dodged prosecution . The children , one of whom was just two years old , were freed from the car unharmed , but the joey had died by the time emergency services arrived . The incident is still to be investigated by the Department of Children and Families . A couple that left five children and a kangaroo joey alone in a car for more than two hours has avoided prosecution . Alice Springs police said the witnesses who spotted the car were the reason the incident avoided a 'far worse ' , tragic ending . Police first responded to calls about 'children trapped ' about 1:30pm on Tuesday . 'Upon attendance , police located five children aged between two and 13 years who had been left in the car for over two hours , ' Commander Chris Wilson said , according to the NT News . Police were alerted to the incident by passersby about 1:30pm , as the temperature soared into the forties . Kidsafe NT executive director Victoria Pollifrone said the scare should be serve as a wake up call and a catalyst for a change to state laws . 'The children were checked by St John Ambulance staff while the two adults looking after the kids were located inside the licensed premises . ' Paramedics at the scene cleared the children of having suffered any harm . Kidsafe NT executive director Victoria Pollifrone said the scare should be serve as a wake up call and a catalyst for a change to state laws . 'If this legislation was introduced , it would be obvious it 's illegal ( to leave children in a car ) and passers-by would be more likely to intervene , ' Ms Pollifrone said .
Five children abandoned in car , the youngest being just two years old . Couple left kids and kangaroo joey alone , so they could booze and gamble . St John 's Ambulance Australia paramedic says it was a 'fortunate ' escape . Kidsafe NT calls for new laws to make leaving children in cars illegal . Animal welfare became involved after baby kangaroo died in the car .