UPPER ALLEN TOWNSHIP, CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — A Mechanicsburg man has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, after his four year-old son was found running through rush-hour traffic last month.
Peter Niwagaba, 47, was arrested when police responded to reports of a child running across the road during rush-hour traffic on the 2200 block of South Market Street on May 15. Drivers had stopped and were attempting to get the child out of the road, but were unable to, and the child ran back to his home, according to witnesses.
Police went to the home on the 2200 block of Aspen Court, and met with Niwagaba, who stated that he was upstairs working and had left his son alone downstairs to watch TV. According to Niwagaba, he was unaware that his son- who is autistic, had left. The door of the home was locked, but the four year-old was able to open the door, according to court documents.
There have been two previous visits to the home by Cumberland County Children & Youth, one of which resulted in a criminal endangering the welfare of a child charge, according to reports.
Bail is set at $2,000, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 19.
