Stone County authorities have arrested 45-year-old Robert Aaron Case of Mountain View, after his infant son was found alone in a vehicle in the parking lot of the Mountain View Walmart.
According to the probable cause affidavit, a law enforcement officer was driving through the parking lot on the evening of Aug. 24 when a man motioned for him to come over. The man advised the officer an infant was inside a pickup truck by himself.
The officer opened the door of the unlocked vehicle and woke the child to ensure he was OK. The infant was not in a car seat, but sitting in the middle of the vehicle’s seat with a seatbelt on. He was not wearing a diaper, only a shirt.
The child’s father, later identified as Case, reportedly came out of the store and was immediately placed in handcuffs.
A second officer who had arrived on the scene went inside the store to purchase diapers for the infant.
Case told law enforcement the baby’s mother has primary custody of the child. She was located in Hot Springs and told officers she would be en route immediately to take the child. Contact was made with a family member to pick up the child until his mother arrived.
It was determined Case had been inside the store approximately seven minutes. A couple of knives were located in the floorboard of the vehicle.
Case has been charged with a felony count of endangering the welfare of a minor. His bond was set at $1,500.
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