Dad faces neglect charges after 2-year-old daughter found wandering (Cocoa, Florida)

Another working mom who tried to turn the (deadbeat) UNNAMED DAD into a childcare provider. Epic fail....

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120502/NEWS01/120502019/Dad-faces-neglect-charges-after-Cocoa-police-find-wandering-tot

Dad faces neglect charges after Cocoa police find wandering tot
12:47 PM, May. 2, 2012

The father of a 2-year-old girl spotted wandering the streets of Cooca in a diaper and a t-shirt faces child neglect charges after telling police he had fallen asleep.

The child had apparently gotten out of her home sometime before 8 a.m. today after her mother left for work. Neighbors had the girl before turning her over to police officers, who knocked on doors and visited area schools to identify the child.

“The mother was at work and the dad was at home asleep,” said Barbara Matthews, spokeswoman for the Cocoa Police Department.

“He is being charged with child neglect. The mother was very upset. The Department of Children and Families is also going to work with the mother to help her with finding childcare,” Matthews said.

Hours earlier, police were concerned the crying child would have to be turned over to social workers.

“We’ve had this baby since 9 a.m.,” said Barbara Matthews, spokeswoman for the Cocoa Police Department. “And so far we have no idea who she is.”

The toddler was found walking alone by neighbors about 8 a.m. in the Donna Avenue, just west of Cocoa Boulevard.

“The people who found her thought she was from that area and they were looking around the neighborhood before calling us,” Matthews said.

Police believe the child, who does speak English, is Hispanic. The child was wearing a t-shirt with an ice cream cone on the front along with a pair of diapers.

Police officers went door to door while the crying child was cared for by Matthews.

Officers also took the girl to Endeavour Elementary Magnet School to see if any of the students recognized the child. Police have not received any phone calls reporting a missing child.


“We’ve had her for four hours and soon we will have to turn her over to the Department of Children and Families. We have no other choice,” Matthews said.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to call police at 321-639-7620.