Dad locks 2-year-old with special needs in room, leaves for work, Ohio cops say
A dad locked his 2-year-old child with special needs in a bedroom, then went to work for several hours, Ohio prosecutors said.
A neighbor found the child in “filthy and potentially dangerous” conditions in the Cleves home on April 8 and called deputies, the Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney said in an April 16 news release.
The 35-year-old father was charged with two counts of child endangerment, prosecutors said.
McClatchy News is not naming the suspect to protect the identity of the child.
The toddler was restrained in a “cruel manner or for a prolonged period,” prosecutors said.
“There is never a reason to leave a 2-year-old child home alone. It’s our job to make sure those who cannot speak for themselves are protected,” Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said in a statement.
If convicted, the man could be sentenced to up to three and a half years in prison, officials said.
Cleves is about a 17-mile drive northwest from Cincinnati.
This story was originally published April 18, 2025 at 8:36 AM with the headline "Dad locks 2-year-old with special needs in room, leaves for work, Ohio cops say."
