A 3-year-old boy was taken into protective custody and his mother, a 26-year-old De Soto woman, was arrested Wednesday evening (Oct. 26) after the child was found walking alone along Veterans Drive near Walther Park, De Soto Police Chief Rick Draper reports
At 6:20 p.m., De Soto Police got a call about the child, and when officers arrived, they found the boy with the person who had found him and called police, Draper said.
The young boy had no shirt, socks or shoes on and was carrying a wet blanket, Draper added.
The child was taken to the police department where officers recognized him from a previous incident and contacted the mother who was asleep in an apartment about a quarter of a mile from where the child was found, according to the report.
After officers interviewed the mother and conducted a brief investigation, she was arrested.
The state Children’s Division was contacted and took the child into protective custody, Draper reported.
Charges are being sought against the mother in this case.
“We are currently working with the prosecutor and waiting for a decision,” Draper said. The mother’s name will not be released unless she is formally charged.