Police Blotter: Wandering Toddler Leads to Neglect Charges

Toddler Found on Auto Dealership Lot
Charges are pending against a Catonsville man after a toddler was found wandering around a Baltimore National Pike auto dealership last Friday morning.

When employees arrived at the dealership on the 6700-block of Baltimore National Pike, they found a toddler wearing a diaper covered by shorts and no other clothing.

Police were called at 10:40 a.m. For the next two hours, police canvassed the neighborhood around the car dealership, according to Lt. Nancy Storke, deputy commander of Precinct 1/Wilkens. The police did not receive a report of a missing child.

A police officer spotted an open apartment door and children’s toys on the 120-block of Westerlee Place, and upon investigation found the child’s father and another family member asleep inside an apartment.

According to Storke, the child’s mother dropped off the child with the father at 4 a.m. on her way to work in Pennsylvania. The mother was notified, and the child was returned unharmed to the father until the mother was off work.

In order to walk from the father’s home to the car dealership, the toddler walked about four blocks and crossed up to five streets. The child was not hurt in the incident.

A charge of child neglect is pending against the father, who the police declined to identify.

Burglaries in the Arbutus Area
A number of bicycles, air conditioners and other inadequately secured property has been stolen recently, including the following incidents:

July 3: At some time between 2:30-8 p.m., an unknown person took two mountain bikes from a residence on the 1100-block of Regina Drive in Arbutus. Although the bikes had been locked through the front fires, an unknown person removed the tires and took the bikes.

July 3: At some time since the previous day, an unknown person took a trailer containing a generator, welder and other tools from the 3300-block of Hollins Ferry Road in Halethorpe.

Other Area Crimes
July 3: Three people walking in the area of Florida Avenue and Washington Street in Baltimore Highlands at around 11:30 p.m. was approached by a man holding a gun who ordered them to the ground. The man was described as a black male with long braids, wearing a white t-shirt and black pants. This man was joined by three other suspects, who took the cell phones of the victims.

July 4: A man reported being assaulted at 3:41 a.m. by two associates in front of his residence on the 3300-block of Washington Boulevard. The victim said he went into his residence, and when he exited one of the suspects struck him on the head with a bottle, causing a laceration. The suspects fled on foot.

July 4: A home invasion and robbery was reported at 4 a.m.  on the 2900-block of Bero Road in Riverview. The victims were woken by somebody kicking in their rear door. An unknown number of suspects demanded money and took rings, laptop computers and cell phones.

For questions about this blotter, email bruce.goldfarb@patch.com.