LAKEWOOD – A Jamestown man was tazed by Lakewood Busti Police and a city mother is facing a charge of child endangering the welfare of a child following an incident that took place at Walmart in Lakewood Sunday night.
According to the Lakewood-Busti Police Department, officers were called to WalMart just after 9:15 p.m. Sunday after a small group of shoppers and store employees noticed a child left unattended near its stroller in the shoe department.
Officers brought the child to the loss prevention until the parents could be located. Police say the child was left unattended for a “significant amount of time.”
Upon investigation, police learned the child was with a group of shoppers who had gone into the shoe department and then allegedly left the area of the store without the baby.
The mother, identified as 20 year-old Nelly Gonzalez, was located and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Police contacted Child Protective Services, who instructed officers that the child could be returned to the mother.
During the investigation police also discovered a man in Gonzalez’s group had an order of protection against him for a person that was with Gonzalez.
The man was identified as Miguel Ramos Flores and was charged with criminal contempt. Police say Flores struggled during the arrest and a taser had to be used to subdue him. He was given an additional charge of resisting arrest and was arraigned in Busti town court and sent to the county jail on $10,000 bail.
I still want to know WHY CPS let this mother who left her child alone in the store was able to take the baby back? Really someone in CPS messed up bad on this one, Who in their right mind would do that? Maybe you should go looking for answers on this one also
Thanks for asking the question Paula. From what we’ve been told and have learned from the NY Office of Children and Family Services, all initial reports of alleged child endangerment are sent Child Protective Services/State Central Register, a department of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, based in Albany.
That agency then provides directives to law enforcement on how to deal with the incident, including whether or not to allow the child to remain with parent or legal guardian. The case may also be referred to local CPS caseworkers.Due to state law regarding confidentiality, they are not permitted to comment on whether or not they are following up on a specific case.
More information on the process can be found at the following link:
http://www.preventchildabuseny.org/files/1013/0392/1654/reporting_CAN.pdf