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Mother charged after toddler is found wandering alone in Newport News pharmacy

Posted at 1:27 PM, Jul 13, 2015
and last updated 2015-07-13 15:30:13-04

Newport News, Va. – Two people have been charged after police say a toddler was found wandering around alone inside of a Newport News Rite Aid Pharmacy.

On Saturday at 4:30 p.m. , police were called out to the 600 block of J. Clyde Morris Boulevard about a small child found walking around alone.

They found a 3-year-old child who had been taken care of by store employees until they arrived.

A citizen saw the child with officers and helped to locate the toddler’s residence which was in the 800 block of Forest Drive.

Police say the mother, identified as 39-year-old Karen Louise, initially lied to them about who she was. She has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and providing false identity to law enforcement. She told them she did not know how the child was able to get out of the house.

Another person was also in the house at the time, 51-year-old Lee Ernest Whitaker, who has been issued a summons for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

No other information has been released.