A B.C. man had his four-year-old daughter temporarily taken away from him after police say he was driving drunk with her in the car and drinking from a stash of beer stowed under her seat.

The 44-year-old Garden Bay man was stopped on Jan. 21 as he drove along the Sunshine Coast Highway toward Sechelt. Mounties say he displayed "obvious symptoms of intoxication" and was promptly arrested.

When the officer looked inside the suspect's car, they say they found the little girl, as well as open and closed cans of beer stashed under her feet. The Ministry of Children and Family Development was called in, and officials decided that the suspect was too drunk to take care of his daughter.

The child was taken to stay with a family friend for the night.

Police are recommending charges of impaired driving and refusing to provide a breath sample for the father. He also received a 90-day administrative driving prohibition and a 24-hour roadside prohibition.