BOSTON — Police are investigating after they say a toddler was found with his mother around a notorious drug-use zone without a coat on Friday morning.
A Boston Police report says they were informed by an outreach worker around 8:15 a.m. that a woman was spotted with her baby on Southampton Street. The street and its surrounding areas are known for the avid use of drugs, illegal drug sales, human trafficking, and violence.
Arriving officers quickly found the mother and her 2-year-old son outside 115 Southampton Street. The mother allegedly said she had been staying in her car in the McDonald’s parking lot on Massachusetts Avenue Thursday night when the car was towed due to an expired registration, according to the police report.
She claimed she then spent most of the night at Boston Medical Center to stay warm and charge her phone and left around 6:30 a.m. to get “dosed” at the Boston Comprehensive Treatment Center. However, officers say they weren’t able to corroborate that story and couldn’t confirm the child spent the night in an adequate shelter.
It was also noted in the police report the child was only wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt, a pair of pants, and two pairs of ankle socks while the temperature outside was between 40 and 45 degrees. Officers on scene provided a blanket to the baby and EMS checked him, out. Despite the conditions, police say he was in good health.
The mother and child were given a courtesy ride to the Boston Comprehensive Treatment Center and a 51A was filed, which is the Massachusetts form used to report suspected child abuse or neglect with the Department of Children and Families.
The child’s alleged father was also arrested on active warrants for operating while under the influence of a controlled substance and possession class A later that afternoon, according to the report.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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