Officials say the child was discovered alone in an apartment in Dormont. (Photo Credit: KDKA)
DORMONT (KDKA) –A man and woman were arrested Sunday night for leaving their 2-year-old son alone in a cold Dormont apartment.
Neighbors say the cries coming from the apartment located inside of the building in the 1400-block of Potomac Avenue began well before 8 a.m.
“I heard the child scream, I guess it was about 10,15 minutes, but I thought the baby was just crying,” said Shyla Murray, a neighbor. “But my neighbor had called the police.”
“I could hear him shivering, then he started to scream and my other neighbor came out and started talking to him through the door,” said Meaghan Marie Woodley, another neighbor. “They said they would wait after I called 911.”
Firefighters entered the apartment through a rear window, using an adjoining porch. Once inside, they found the boy and the apartment at 60 degrees.
Police estimate the boy had been alone for hours.
“He was a hysterical. He was really sad. He was crying a lot. My other neighbor that came down, she consoled him,” said Murray. “I was trying to find something for him to wear because he just had on a shirt and a diaper.”
Police say they found papers in the apartment, identifying the child’s parents as Yolanda Pablo Segundo and Raul Cruz-Romero.
Police say they believe the couple works at a local restaurant during the overnight hours. He has custody three to four nights a week. Neither parent speaks English well, and required an interpreter when speaking with police.
The boy was taken to Children’s Hospital before being handed over to Children, Youth and Families. Both parents were charged with endangering the welfare of children.
“I know what its like to grow up in a rough situation and would not like to see any kid suffer,” said Woodley.
Police say that both parents acknowledged during their interviews, which were done through an interpreter, that they are allegedly in the United States illegally.
They are expected to be arraigned overnight.
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