BLANCHESTER — Police charged a woman with endangering children after they say her toddler was found wandering a busy street for the second time in seven months.
At around 9 p.m. Sunday police were called to the 600 block of W. Main St. after a motorist reported seeing a toddler in the street, according to a news release from Blanchester Police Chief Scott Reinbolt.
“The 600 block of W. Main Street is State Route 28, a heavily traveled route by both passenger cars and large trucks,” he said.
He said Ptl. Micah Day arrived and spoke to the complainant, who stated she was driving on W. Main Street when she nearly struck a small child who was in the street. The complainant stated she stopped her car, grabbed the child from the street, and called 911. She stated residents inside the W. Main St. home then came outside and said the child belonged to them, Reinbolt said.
Ptl. Day spoke to the residents of the home.
“He learned that the child’s mother is Amber Johnson, who resides on Bourbon Street in Blanchester, but who was at the W. Main Street residence with the child visiting relatives,” said Reinbolt. “The child, who is 2 years old, apparently slipped out of the building without the knowledge of any of the adults in the home. When they realized he was missing and began looking for him, they saw the complainant outside with the boy.
“In July, the same child was found wandering in the street on Bourbon Street, also a heavily traveled state route. In that case, he was also rescued by a passerby who saw him in the street,” Reinbolt continued. “In that case, Ptl. Kristen Jeffers turned the child over to Children Services and charged his mother, Amber Johnson, with endangering children. That case was eventually dismissed.”
He said Blanchester police have filed a new charge of endangering children against Amber Johnson for this most recent incident. She will answer the charge in the Clinton County Municipal Court.
“We are grateful to the passing motorist who stopped and helped this wayward child,” added Reinbolt.
