EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A 2-year-old child was found walking alone in a parking lot, prompting an early-morning response from El Paso County deputies and leading to a child endangerment charge against the child’s father.
On Monday at about 6 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the 12700 block of Eastlake area after a young child was found unattended.
Deputies met with the reporting party, who said he discovered the 2-year-old walking alone in the parking lot.
The child appeared lost and was asking for their father.
Deputies observed the child was barefoot, dressed in pajamas and wearing a soiled diaper, officials said.
RECOMMENDED: Las Cruces couple arrested on child abandonment charge after 6-year-old found alone
Deputies secured the child and searched for a guardian.
After about two hours, deputies identified and contacted the child’s father, 31-year-old Eric Willis.
Willis told deputies he was unaware the child had left and believed the door had been locked, officials said.
During the investigation, deputies detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage and observed multiple empty alcohol containers inside the residence. Willis admitted to consuming alcohol the night before, according to deputies.
Willis was taken into custody and charged with abandoning or endangering a child. He was transported to the El Paso County Detention Facility and booked with no bond.
Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox.