KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The mother of a two-year-old child found wandering naked and alone at 1 a.m. on Saturday morning got another visit from police Monday. Police say the two-year-old boy had no clothes or shoes on when he was found nearly a half-mile from home by a good Samaritan.
The child was discovered near 53rd and Schwartz in KCK early Saturday morning and is still protective custody. FOX 4 was in front of the mother’s home on Monday morning when police issued her a misdemeanor ticket for child endangerment.
FOX 4 went to the scene and tried to piece details together in an effort to understand how the child made it to where he was found. From his house, the child had to walk up a hill, on a dead-end road and through a wooded area to get to where he was found.
With his big brown eyes and long curly locks, the two-year-old boy looked past a camera aimed his way over the weekend. The picture was taken when the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department was asking for the public’s help locating the two year olds parents more than eight hours after the boy was found near the wooded area.
Neighbors who didn’t want their face shown said it’s lucky the picture is as happy as it is.
“They’re lucky that there are good people in this world and he was found by a good person, because sometimes that could not have happened. He could have been hit by a car or somebody could have taken him and did some unmentionable things to him,” said Amy, who runs a daycare nearby and did not want her last name used.
Kansas City, Kansas police said it wasn’t until around 11 a.m. that the mother called to report her two-year old child missing.
Neighbors also said they weren’t surprised.
“Most babies don’t open the front door if it’s locked. It’s all about choices that we make. We have to choose to lock our doors. We have to choose to check on our children, make sure we know where they are, what they’re doing,” Amy said.
Police said they can’t discuss details of this case — like where the mother was or why it took her so long to contact law enforcement.
“He’s very lucky and I hope that the mom understands that. You’re lucky; this is your chance to be better than you were in the future,” said the neighbor.
Now the case is in the hands of the Kansas Child Protective Services, who will determine if the child can return to the home or if the mother should at least temporarily lose custody.
“Just because you can have children doesn’t necessarily mean you should. And when you have them just do the best that you can,” Amy said.
As for why this is a misdemeanor and not a felony, police said it’s based on a few things, including injury to the child. In this case, the sheriff’s department said the boy only had scratches. Police also looked at whether this was intentional or accidental.
Bigger penalties could be handed down by the Kansas Child Protective Services, which has until 5 p.m. Wednesday to make a decision.
