The Sheriff’s Office has been called twice in the past week because a 4 year old child has wandered away from his home at 7108 Hwy 126 North in the Midway area in the middle of the night and found himself in potential danger. 

     The first incident occurred on August 27^th at 1:37 AM when Sheriff’s Corporal William Altazan responded to the Triangle Citgo Store in Midway because an unattended small child wearing only a diaper had wandered in there.   On arrival, the deputy recognized this child as the same one who had wandered away during the night in the past.  The child is non-communicative and requires close supervision.    On this occasion, the child was ultimately returned to his residence by the deputy, and the Arkansas Department of Human Services – Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was contacted to conduct a follow-up.

     The second incident of the same nature occurred early this morning September 2^nd at 3:08 AM when this same child, again wearing only a diaper, was found running down the middle of State Highway 5 between Mountain Home and Midway near the Ideal RV Center, which is approximately two miles from the child’s home.  Sheriff’s Deputies brought the child to the Sheriff’s Office and again contacted DCFS.  The child was not harmed.  The child’s mother was eventually notified by deputies at her residence.  She was unaware the child was not in the home.  It was noted that the doors of the residence apparently cannot be secured to the extent necessary to keep the child inside and require repairs or modification.

     The Sheriff’s Office will continue working with the parent and DCFS to ensure thesafety of the child in question.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff