Dad abandons 4-year-old son on interstate, step picks him up; where is mom? (Sweetwater, Texas)

Dad CARLOS RICOS has been charged with child endangerment after he admitted that he had abandoned his 4-year-old son on an interstate. Notice that we're told that the step was "on her way to get the boy," but that she "needed to answer a lot of investigator's questions first." As indeed she should. Why does she have priority is this case anyway? Is this a custodial dad? Did she adopt this child? Is the mother still living? If so, why did she lose custody to a father who saw fit to abandon a young child on a busy highway? A place where he easily could have been killed?

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://www.ktxs.com/big_country_news/28388006/detail.html

UPDATE: Father Tells Police He Abandoned Boy Found On I-20By Jocelyn Tovar, KTXS News
POSTED: 6:19 pm CDT June 28, 2011
UPDATED: 8:38 pm CDT June 28, 2011

SWEETWATER, Texas -- Sweetwater police tell KTXS the father of a four year old found injured, and walking down the interstate, admits to abandoning the child.

Carlos Rico was charged with endangering a child.

After Sweetwater Police sent out bulletins, Rico turned himself in to Saginaw, Texas law enforcement.

He now faces charges of endangering a child, but if it wasn't for one good Samaritan this story could have ended tragically.

Al Hunt, Sweetwater High's basketball coach, found Angel on the highway Tuesday morning when he was on his way to Eastland.

"Thank goodness it was them," said Sweetwater Police Chief Jim Kelley. "They're good people and called us immediately and the wheels began turning."

Chief Kelley says they had few clues to figure out how the lost little boy ended up on the highway.

"At four you don't know your address, you might know your house if you walked by," Chief Kelley said, "But we're just grasping at this point."

Sweetwater Police are unsure how long Angel was on the highway, he was taken to Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital to be treated for injuries from a cactus, and dehydration.

Despite those injuries and being all alone, the little boy was in good spirits. Chief Kelley told KTXS Angel warmed the hearts of everyone.

"Nurses, cops, everybody just fell in love with him," Kelley said, "But the little boy needs his family. We're just trying to find out where this child belongs."

It was the little boy's uncle who made his Rico go to law enforcement.

Angel's step-mother who lives in Lubbock is on her way to Sweetwater to get the little boy, but Chief Kelley says not before she answers a lot of investigator's questions.