Charleroi man wanted in child endangerment case
CHARLEROI – A Charleroi man faces accusations that he didn’t notice his young son was missing for several hours during a power outage and frigid temperatures last week.
District Judge Larry Hopkins signed a warrant Wednesday for the arrest of the father, James T. Larkin Jr., 55, on a charge of endangering the welfare of a child, court records show.
Police said a man showed up at the police station about 5:45 a.m. Dec. 12 with the child, saying he found him wandering around Charleroi.
The child was wearing a thin layer of pajamas, dirty socks and no shoes at a time when the temperature was 19 degrees, charging documents state.
Washington County Children & Youth Services became involved in the case while police attempted for two hours to find an address for Larkin.
Police accused Larkin of being intoxicated when the child went missing at their residence at 207 Fifth St.
Larkin’s friend woke him up at 8 a.m., telling him she couldn’t find the child. Larkin allegedly waited another hour before calling police to inquire about his son, police noted in the affidavit.