Cops Plan To Charge Mother Of Toddler Found Alone In Park
NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. (AP/KDKA) - Police plan to file criminal charges against the mother of a toddler found wandering alone in a western Pennsylvania park, wearing only a diaper.
The little girl, believed to be 2 or 3 years old, was turned over to Westmoreland County child welfare caseworkers after police found her in Memorial Park in New Kensington about 7 p.m. Sunday. Other people who saw the toddler alone called police.
Among them was Aaron Woods.
"We saw this little girl walking around, you know, no clothes on, just the diaper, that's it," Woods said. "And she was walking around, playing in the park, just like any of the other kids."
Woods was there with his wife and 4-year-old son. Another couple was nearby.
"And they said that this girl has been walking around for over an hour, and no sign of parents or anything," Woods said. "She was probably only I think 2, maybe 3 years old at the most, and she couldn't really speak. All she was saying was, you know, 'Mommy.' She was, I guess, kind of looking around for her mother. She was pretty confused. She didn't really know what was going on or anything."
On Monday, police Chief James Klein said the toddler's mother had come forward from a neighboring community late Sunday night, looking for her daughter.
Police wouldn't say if the woman spoke with investigators or if she gave any indication how the girl made it to the park, which is on the outskirts of this city about 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, along a busy state highway.
"The park is just surrounded by woods, there's no homes or anything around," Woods said.
There are indications the child may have been unaccounted for or missing for at least three hours before the mother approached police.
Children and Youth Services was last reported to still have custody of the child. They are not making any comments.
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(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
