Toddler In Diapers Runs Down Interstate - Mother Arrested

[matcom]

<snip>

Troy Crady figures guardian angels must have had something to do with sparing Damon Dyer.

The 3-year-old, wearing only a diaper and T-shirt, was found running in the middle of the slow lane of northbound I-465 Saturday morning -- and an unaware Crady, speeding by in his 1-ton flatbed, easily could have run into him.

If that had happened, the consequences would have been horrific.
"It would have been like taking a Chihuahua out with this big truck," the Indianapolis man said.

The boy survived unscathed, but for a few tense moments, at least a half-dozen cars and a big rig swerved into other lanes to avoid the barefoot child.

Miles away, Senior State Trooper Cedric Merritt gunned his cruiser toward the scene on the city's Northwestside after calls came in on the State Police emergency line just before 9 a.m., reporting a baby on the interstate.

When Merritt heard the first reports, the 12-year veteran could only think, "Wow."

The incident led to the arrest of the boy's mother on two charges of child neglect after Merritt found she wasn't aware that her son had slipped out of her apartment.

The second charge related to the discovery of a second child eating spaghetti off the floor, police said. Officers said they also found trash in the apartment and feces on the walls.

Before Merritt reached the scene, several startled motorists had stopped to help the boy.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061231/LOCAL/612310322/1006/LOCAL

[AwakeAtLast]

1. Damn. That is so sad.

And of course it happened in IN. :eyes:

From the comments I read it appears she was involved in drugs, possibly meth.

I don't even want to think about what could have happened. <cringe>

Thankfully traffic in I-465 was slower because of the holiday weekend. That may have helped save this child.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. That little boy may have just saved himself and his sister.

I'm glad that the motorists were paying attention and that none of them have to live with the memory of seeing a toddler hit by a vehicle.

Children eating off the floor are used to fending for themselves. No wonder the boy was adept at opening the door.