A southeast Iowa man was arrested after police say he dropped his child off and then left the toddler unsupervised despite the child’s mother not being home.
41-year-old Fermin Garcia of Albia has been charged with child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor.
Court records say on July 8 at 8:05 PM, Garcia drove his two-year-old child to the mother’s home in Ottumwa without knowing if she would be home. Garcia texted the child’s mother two hours prior to dropping off the child and the mother informed Garcia that she was not going to be home.
According to police, Garcia dropped off the two-year-old outside of the mother’s residence along with two other children ages eight and nine. Garcia then drove off without seeing the children go inside the home.
The children were left outside alone for approximately 30 minutes, according to court documents. The nine-year-old left to get help. The child found a stranger who helped the children locate their mother.
A warrant for Garcia’s arrest was issued on July 18 and he was taken into custody on the same day.
Garcia is currently in the Wapello County Jail where his bail has been set at $2,000.
