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No charges expected in case of wandering toddler – Metro US

No charges expected in case of wandering toddler

Halifax Regional Police don’t expect any action to be taken at their end after a naked three-year-old boy was found walking alone on the Macdonald Bridge on-ramp early yesterday morning.

Members of the Halifax Regional Police found the toddler trotting up the on-ramp towards the bridge off of Barrington Street at about 1:30 a.m. The child, who police say lived within a minute’s walk from where he was found, was not harmed and reportedly in good spirits.

The officers were able to track down the boy’s mother, who police say had left him in the care of a babysitter for the evening, by canvassing the neighbourhood. According to Const. Brian Palmeter, the mother was shaken, but relieved to have her son back safe and sound.

Palmeter said while police must notify child services whenever they observe a situation where a child is or could be at risk, he doesn’t expect any criminal action to be taken against the mother or the sitter, who reportedly fell asleep.

“In this particular incident, we don’t believe there was any outward neglect,” he said. “But I mean obviously he would have had to cross over Barrington Street, which in and of itself is very concerning.”

Residents who live near where the child was found were relieved the incident ended happily.

“It was lucky that the child didn’t get hit by a vehicle, or get kidnapped,” said Percy Oliver, who lives off of Brunswick Street.

Anne Landry, who lives off Artz Street with her daughter and four-year-old grandson, Drake, said she often sees unsupervised children as young as four playing in the nearby playground or in the street.

“When he’s out here, I’m out here too,” she said of Drake. “I watch him like a hawk.”
– with files from Monique Muise