Police: Children left alone, dad returns drunk (Clarksville, Tennessee)

Dad RODNEY JAMES RIDGEWAY has been charged with child abuse and DUI after police responded to an alarm at his house and found his 1- and 5-year-old children home alone. Didn't help matters when Daddy finally staggered home, well, as drunk as a skunk. Didn't help either when Daddy tried to explain that he had left for just a while in order to get diapers--but didn't have any diapers.

So where is Mom in all this? Is this a single dad? Is this a visitation incident? Not one word of explanation.

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20100923/CRIME/9230319

Police: Children left alone, dad returns drunk
BY BRIAN EASON • THE LEAF-CHRONICLE • September 23, 2010

A Clarksville man faces two counts of child abuse after police responded to an alarm at his house and found his 1- and 5-year-old children home alone.

Rodney James Ridgeway, 30, who gave a 239 Montcrest Drive address, also was charged with DUI and open container after he arrived at the house later and performed poorly on sobriety tests, according to a Clarksville Police Department report.

Police responded to the alarm at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The report said Ridgeway's 5-year-old daughter told police her father wasn't home. After police secured the residence, Ridgeway pulled up in his vehicle, reportedly with bloodshot eyes and smelling of alcohol.

Ridgeway, who was listed as a soldier, told police he was gone for only 20 minutes to buy training diapers. Officer Jim Knoll, CPD spokesman, said Ridgeway did not have diapers when questioned and told police the store had run out of them.

He was booked in Montgomery County Jail Wednesday with a $2,500 bond.