Toddler Found Wandering Streets Alone In Only Underwear; Drunk Caretaker Arrested

Police found a 2-year-old boy wandering alone in the streets of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, while clad in just underwear. Authorities were alerted by a man who found the child unsupervised and wearing no shoes.

The incident was reported on Harden Avenue in Duquesne Tuesday afternoon, according to WPXI.

Immediately after the child was found, the City of Duquesne Police Department put out a call for help on Facebook, asking anyone who knew the child or his parents to call 911.

Despite that, it took officers hours to trace the child's parent. Eventually, they rang up the toddler's dad, who was blindsided at work, Duquesne Police Chief Thomas Dunlevy said.

Police also received information about a woman who was supposed to have been watching the child. Officers went to her apartment in the 1100 block of Oberlin Avenue and found the woman in a "highly intoxicated" state. She lived several blocks away from where the boy was found.

"Made contact with her and discovered she was highly intoxicated. After being Mirandized, she made statements that she was to be watching the child all day," Dunlevy told CBS Pittsburg.

The woman, whose identity was not released, was taken to the Allegheny County Jail after being charged with endangering the welfare of a child and public intoxication. She reportedly told police that "Lord put me to sleep" and admitted she "had a beverage while babysitting." "But it's not hard for kids to get out," she added.

By evening, the child's relatives, including his aunt and father, rushed to the station. Police added that the father would not be facing any charges and he was very shaken up.

"He was shocked - obviously - did absolutely nothing wrong. He thought he was handing off the child to a responsible adult. And as we found out that wasn’t the case here," Dunlevy told WPXI.

The little boy was under a social worker's care until the next steps could be taken and he could go home.

Earlier this month, a 3-year-old girl was found unsupervised in the middle of the road in West Virginia. A citizen alerted cops after seeing the toddler who was only a diaper. In connection with the incident, police charged a man with child neglect for creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.