A two-year-old boy was found wandering alone in the middle of a road in Florida late on Saturday night, prompting the arrest of his parents on child neglect charges.
The child was discovered on Jones Road near Talisi Loop in Osceola County at about 11.39pm. A passing motorist saw him walking in the road, stopped her car and took him to safety before calling 911.
Deputies said the boy was wearing only a vest top and a nappy. He appeared frightened and was crying when the woman found him.
Officers then carried out a door-to-door search of nearby homes and found one property on Talisi Loop with its front door open and nobody inside.
They tried to contact the residents listed at the address and reached the child’s father, 36-year-old Johnny JeanBaptiste, by telephone. Deputies said he ended the call immediately.
Shortly after 12.30am on Sunday, JeanBaptiste returned to the property with the boy’s mother, 32-year-old Stacia McMillian. Both were described by deputies as uncooperative at the scene.
JeanBaptiste and McMillian were arrested and each charged with child neglect without great bodily harm. They were being held at the Osceola County Jail.
The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified, and a family member took custody of the child.
Authorities have not said why the boy was left alone or where his parents were when he was found.
