BEAVER, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Two parents are charged after their two-year-old child was found walking far from home with only a dirty diaper on in Raleigh County.
State Troopers say that on October 10, 2023, a man called, stating that a two-year-old girl had showed up at his residence with only a diaper on. When police arrived, the man and his wife said they observed the small child walking down the long driveway surrounded by dogs from the neighborhood. The temperature outside was around 47 degrees with a slight breeze, making it feel colder.
The two adults brought the child inside and tried to ask her who her parents were, but she could not answer. Police tried talking to the two-year-old, but they didn’t have luck getting her to answer. They did note that the child’s diaper had not been changed in days and was highly filthy as if she had not been bathed for several days.
Additional troopers were called in to locate the parents of the child. After a brief search, troopers identified that the child’s parents were Christopher Young and Elizabeth Young.
During an interview with police, the child’s parents did not explain why the child was so far from home in the cold weather. Police explained to both parents that the child was at extreme risk of being struck by a vehicle near a busy main road. They also noted that an aggressive dog could have attacked the child. Both parents were observed to be under the influence of a controlled substance. Â The home was extremely filthy, covered in trash and feces.
Christopher and Elizabeth Young are both charged with child neglect, creating substantial risk for death or bodily injury. Both are being held in Southern Regional Jail under a 50,000 dollar bond.