CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WFLA) — An abandoned 12-year-old boy knocked on a stranger’s door to call police after fleeing his mother who was drunk driving with him and his 1-year-old brother in the car, police said.
The Chippewa Falls Police Department got a call Monday regarding a boy who had shown up at a resident’s house and was lost.
The boy told police that his mother was intoxicated and driving around with him and his 1-year-old brother. The boy said he was able to get out of the car and tried to take his younger brother with him, but his mom drove off before he could, leaving him stranded in the East Hill area by himself.
That’s when the boy walked up to a stranger’s house and called police.
He was taken back to the police department’s family room and fed lunch while officers worked on the case.
A driver on Highway-53 later reported a suspected drunk driver that fit the description of the mom’s vehicle. A traffic stop was conducted and the mother was taken into custody by the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department on suspicion of drunk driving and child abandonment.
The 1-year-old was removed from the vehicle and entertained by Officer Bowe and Officer Mattheisen until the Department of Human Services arrived. Bowe even conducted a much-needed diaper change.
Both children were temporarily placed in foster care.
“We are thankful that the children in this case are safe in what could have easily been a tragic ending,” the police department said. “Our officers care deeply about our community, especially our children, and we are willing to go above and beyond to keep them safe whenever we can.”
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