An Elizabethton man faces a criminal charge after police say his 18-month-old child was found wandering alone near a busy city street.
Officers of the Elizabethton Police Department arrested Austin Neff, 25, of 813 Folsom St., Elizabethton, and charged him with child abuse/neglect and dogs running at large.
According to court documents, on Sunday morning around 10:30 a.m., officers of the Elizabethton Police Department responded to the intersection of Broad Street and North Main Street, near the Zoomerz convenience store, after a 911 caller reported finding a child in the roadway.
When officers arrived on the scene, they spoke with two female witnesses who told officers they stopped when they saw a child they estimated to be between 1 and 2 years old alone in the middle of North Main Street near Broad Street. The women reported finding a dog with the child when they stopped.
The first woman stopped and was checking on the child and the second woman called 911, according to court documents. The women wrapped the child in a jacket to keep him warm.
While officers were on the scene, two additional witnesses came forward and told the officers they lived nearby and recognized the child. The two witnesses told officers the child lived at 813 Folsom Street.
One of the neighbors told officers she knew of two previous incidents where the child was found wandering outside alone. The other neighbor told officers she had discovered the child alone outside during the summer.
EPD Cpl. James Sexton said he called for the Carter County Rescue Squad to respond to the scene to check the child. Sexton said the temperature was 37 degrees at the time the child was found.
“A few moments after arriving on scene, a male subject, identified as Austin Neff, approached officers and stated he was the child’s father,” Sexton said, adding Neff told officers he did not know his son had gotten outside of his home. “Mr. Neff said he had fallen asleep and was the only one home with (his son). Mr. Neff also stated the dog found running at large with the child was his.”
The Carter County Rescue Squad transported the child to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Sexton said he notified the Department of Children’s Services of the incident.
“Mr. Neff was escorted back to his residence where officers ensured there were no additional children or persons inside the home,” Sexton said.
After the home was checked, Sexton said Neff was taken into custody and transported to the Carter County Detention Center.
Neff appeared in Carter County General Sessions Court on Monday morning. Judge Keith Bowers Jr. set Neff’s bond at $2,500 and issued an order that Neff is not to supervise children alone.
Bowers scheduled Neff to return to court on Nov. 14 with an attorney.