Dad arrested after 3-year-old found wandering down road alone in Pearl River County

A father has been arrested after a 3-year-old girl was found abandoned near Hancock County, the Pearl River County sheriff told the Sun Herald.

Sheriff’s deputies found the child wandering alone on Salem Road at about 10 a.m. Thursday, Sheriff David Alison said.

The investigation revealed that the child was abandoned by her father, who is now in custody, Alison said. It’s unclear where or when the girl was dropped off.

Alison said the identity of the suspect is being withheld until charges are handed down.

The sheriff’s department alerted the public about the missing girl in a viral Facebook post.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story reported the child’s age as 2 years old. She is 3.

This story was originally published March 18, 2022 at 10:57 AM.