A police investigation has been initiated after a two-year-old toddler was discovered in the company of his mother in the ‘Mass and Cass’ area of Boston without adequate protection from the cold on Friday morning.
According to a Boston Police report, authorities were alerted by an outreach worker at approximately 8:15 a.m. who reported that a woman was observed with her infant on Southampton Street, an area notoriously associated with rampant drug use, illicit drug transactions, human trafficking, and violence.
Upon receiving the tip, responding officers promptly located the mother and her 2-year-old son outside 115 Southampton Street. The mother purportedly explained that she had spent the previous night in her car at the McDonald’s parking lot on Massachusetts Avenue, where her vehicle had been towed due to an expired registration.
In her account, she indicated that she sought refuge for a significant portion of the night at the Boston Medical Center to stay warm and charge her phone. She stated that she left the hospital around 6:30 a.m. to visit the Boston Comprehensive Treatment Center for a “dose.” However, law enforcement officers were unable to verify her story and could not confirm whether the child had spent the night in suitable shelter.
Of particular concern, the police report indicated that the child was found wearing only a long-sleeved t-shirt, a pair of pants, and two pairs of ankle socks while the outside temperature ranged between 40 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The officers on the scene immediately provided the child with a blanket, and emergency medical services conducted a check-up, determining that the child was in good health despite the adverse conditions.
Subsequently, the mother and child were provided a courtesy ride to the Boston Comprehensive Treatment Center, and a 51A report was filed. A 51A report is used in Massachusetts to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Families.
Additionally, the child’s alleged father was taken into custody later that afternoon on active warrants related to operating a vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a class A substance, according to the report.
