BREAKING NEWS

Father arrested after 5-year-old son found wandering alone near busy Phoenix intersection

Amaris Encinas
Arizona Republic
Police

Police arrested Roberto Carl Alvarez Cervantes on Tuesday after his young son was found alone near a busy Phoenix intersection.

The 5-year-old boy was left home alone for approximately four hours before Cervantes, 28, returned to the home. A passerby found the child alone at around 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of 19th and Wier avenues. 

Police went around the neighborhood to look for the parents of the child. Officers eventually took him back to department headquarters until the Department of Child Safety could take him into its custody, according to court documents. 

Cervantes eventually contacted police after neighbors told him the child was found. 

Cervantes told police he did not believe the boy was going to leave the backyard because he was safe with the family dog. Cervantes noticed the boy was gone after he arrived back at the home and contacted his wife, court documents stated. 

The wife told Cervantes to ride his bicycle around the neighborhood to see if he could find him.

Though his wife allegedly advised him not to call the police, Cervantes said he did so anyway after 45 minutes of searching the neighborhood. 

An officer inspected the home and found exposed electrical outlets, wires and other items that could potentially start a fire, court documents stated. Potentially dangerous tools and a 5-gallon bucket of water were also found strewn in the yard.

Cervantes acknowledged to police that he was at fault for leaving the child while they ran errands, according to the documents. 

He was booked into a Maricopa County jail on suspicion of child abuse-criminal negligence. 

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Feb. 7. He was released from custody on his own recognizance but will be subject to supervision restrictions. 

Reach breaking news reporter Amaris Encinas at amaris.encinas@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @amarisencinas.

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