Shoplifting dad ditches 2-year-old son (Houston, Texas)

Dad ERIC BETTENCOURT has been jailed on child abandonment charges in the incident.

http://www.kztv10.com/news/shoplifting-dad-ditches-his-cute-kid/

Shoplifting Dad Ditches His Cute KidPosted: Apr 7, 2011 11:03 AM by NBC News
Updated: Apr 7, 2011 11:07 AM

HOUSTON - A father has been accused of shoplifting, then leaving his son behind in a store, Harris County officials said Wednesday. Ethen Bettencourt, 2, is safely back with his family after he went missing on Tuesday. Harris County Precinct 5 deputy constables said Ethen was with his dad, Eric Bettencourt, 33, when he stopped by the Family Thrift Center in northwest Harris County and did a little shoplifting.

They said Bettencourt left his son behind and employees called the sheriff's department. Deputies were already looking for the boy since his family had reported him missing. Investigators did not have to go far to find Bettencourt. "We took custody of the father. He went to his car from the store and went to sleep. We placed the father in jail for child abandonment charges," said Chief Deputy Terry Thurman.

Court documents showed prosecutors do not believe Bettencourt planned to return to get Ethen.