2-Year-Old Boy Found Wandering Alone; Parents Jailed - WCMH: News, Weather, and Sports for Columbus, Ohio

Two people are in jail after their 2-year-old boy was found wandering alone Thursday night.

According to the Ross County Sheriff's Office, a call was received from the area of 14983 Pleasant Valley Road regarding a toddler who was found wandering alone at about 8:53 p.m.

The mother of four children who found the boy told NBC4's Rick Reitzel that she heard the baby's cry and reacted.

Christina Wolford said that all she could see with the diaper glowing as she walked across the road to tend to the child.

"He was standing there, no shoes, no clothes, just a diaper. The temperature was in the 30s so it was pretty cold," she said.

Wolford said she started yelling for help and called the Ross County Sheriff's Office.

"I picked him up because he was cold, didn't have any shoes on. He quit crying, but he was shivering," she said.

Wolford said that none of the neighbors knew the toddler, but one of them wrapped the boy in a towel.

She said the boy's diaper was wet and soiled, and that she thinks he was outside for quite a while.

The child was taken into Cavalier [skating] Rink to be kept warm until emergency crews arrived.

The child was examined and was found to be fine.

Deputies contacted Ross County Children Services, and a case worker took custody of the child.

While deputies were at the scene, a vehicle occupied by 23-year-old Douglas M. Botts and 25-year-old Christine A. Buckalew approached.

Botts and Buckalew were identified as the child's parents.

The sheriff's office said that Buckalew told deputies she had left the child asleep at her home to go hang out and watch movies at a friend's house.

According to authorities, Buckalew said that "she had been under a lot of stress lately and had made a poor decision."

Buckalew and Botts were arrested and charged with child endangering. They were transported to the Ross County Jail.

The parents were released from jail Friday afternoon and Ross County Children Services said the toddler is staying with another relative they've approved of.

The parents are expected in court in April.