Toddler found alone on Montoplis Drive

Detectives with APD's child abuse unit have not yet decided if charges will be filed against the parents of a small child who found walking alone on a city street.

The child who could be hear crying out from inside a silver SUV was found moments earlier all alone. A picture from police dash camera video- shows how dark and desolate Montoplis Drive was when the two year old was rescued by an Austin Police Officer. It happened around midnight when a couple driving by spotted the toddler and called 911. If not for them, investigators say the situation could have easily gone bad.

"Cause somebody else could have picked up the child, somebody could have not seen the child in the, middle of the street if he was in the middle of the street and hit him,” said APD Spokesperson Officer Ivan Ramos.

Patrol units canvassed the area near Felix Ave for almost 3 hours in an attempt to locate the child's parent.

"We have used APD social media to try to reach out to people, we also have a system called Reverse 911, where we contact Missing Persons and they give us permission to send out text email and phone calls to land lines alerting people from a half mile to a mile of all the residents in the area stating they have a child, and if anybody is missing their child they need to call us so we can hopefully get them back home,” said Sgt Rick Davis who was at the scene.

The mother eventually arrived at the scene and was allowed to take her son back home. CPS caseworkers are doing an assessment on the child's home. This is the time this month a child has been found wandering a long on an Austin city street.

A picture taken April 4th shows Officer Gabriel Vasquez hand in hand with a lost child. Another picture shows the child riding on the Officer’s shoulders. The incident happened in a neighborhood near the intersection of east William Cannon and South Pleasant Valley Road. No charges were filed in that case.  Both incidents serve as warnings for parents like Josette and Ben Perez.  

"Cause I know kids get around, they like to get into things, climb into shelves and all that, you've got to get safety locks for them,” said Ben Perez.

A valuable lesson that Ben and Josette say they'll remember because before they know it their 7 month old daughter will be just as mobile as the little one police found Thursday morning.