CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — An Ohio woman has been charged with child neglect after West Virginia police found a juvenile walking on the side of the road after she told him to walk home after an argument at a store.
On Feb. 14, troopers with the Harrison County detachment of the West Virginia State Police saw a minor walking along the shoulder of U.S. Rt. 50, with the flow of traffic, in an area of the highway where pedestrians are not allowed, according to a criminal complaint.
The juvenile claimed that he and his mother had gotten into an argument and he was told to walk home to Salem from a store on Emily Drive, troopers said.
After several failed attempts to identify the juvenile, troopers then “allowed the victim to contact” Katherine Tackett, 43, of Ashland, Ohio, whom the juvenile said was his mother, according to the complaint.
At that point, Tackett traveled to the scene and “was hostile” toward troopers, but after troopers were able to confirm with Tackett that the juvenile was her son, they released him into her custody, troopers said.
After releasing the juvenile into Tackett’s custody, troopers made a referral to child protective services, according to a criminal complaint.
Tackett has been charged with child neglect creating serious risk of injury or death.
