PARKERSBURG, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A 6-year-old child was found alone and hungry Wednesday morning after wandering into a local Dairy Queen, prompting a child neglect investigation and the arrest of the child’s father.
According to Parkersburg Police, Patrolman C.G. Abraham responded to the Dairy Queen on 7th Street around 10:50 a.m. on July 16, 2025, after staff reported a young boy had entered the restaurant alone, saying he was hungry.
The child told the officer that he lived next door and that his mother was at work while his father was sleeping at the time. Officer Abraham then went to the child’s residence at 1752 7th Street, where after several knocks, Seth Thomas Adams, the boy’s father, answered the door.
When asked about the child, Adams admitted he thought the boy was still asleep and appeared unaware he had left the home. Upon checking, Adams confirmed the child was missing.
Upon entering the residence, Officer Abraham described the living conditions as “deplorable.” The home was filled with garbage, mold, mildew, dog feces, rotting food, dirty clothing, and unsafe sleeping conditions. The refrigerator reportedly contained no food, and there was no door to the basement, creating a significant fall hazard.
The officer also discovered a second child, approximately one year old, inside the home, also without proper supervision.
Given the hazardous environment and the fact that the 6-year-old had been alone on a busy street, Officer Abraham placed Seth Thomas Adams under arrest for child neglect.
The children’s welfare is now being handled by Child Protective Services, and the investigation is ongoing.
