YORK — Northern York Regional Police have charged a 33-year-old York man with endangering the welfare of a child after they say the child he was caring for was found alone in the street wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a diaper in rainy weather Monday afternoon.
Angel Alicea-Lugo, of the first block of E. 7th Ave., was charged after the police investigated a report from a bystander, who notified them after encountering a male child of about two years of age walking in the rain, according to the criminal complaint affidavit.
The witness reported she almost struck the child, who was walking in the street, with her vehicle, police say. The witness said the child was alone and unsupervised for about 15-20 minutes while she waited for officers to arrive. Just before police got to the scene, the witness said, a man came out of a nearby apartment building and took the child inside, the complaint states.
Police investigated and found Alicea-Lugo, who matched the description provided by the witness.
Alicea-Lugo allegedly refused to provide police with the child’s information, stating “it was an accident” that the child got outside. He allegedly told police he was cooking and was unaware that the child had gotten outside, claiming the boy was only out of the house for a few minutes.
Police say Alicea-Lugo became agitated when informed that police were investigating for child endangerment, noting he was on probation and did not want to be issued a violation.
He then closed the door in the officer’s face, according to the complaint.
After other officers arrived to assist, police returned to Alicea-Lugo’s door, at which point he allegedly became irate and “expressed his distaste for (police),” the complaint states.
Alicea-Lugo was taken into custody, and York County Children and Youth was contacted, along with York County Adult Probation, police say.
