A Butler man has been charged with misdemeanor child endangerment after allegedly leaving a toddler and an infant home alone.
According to a criminal complaint, Butler City Police responded to the 100 block of Wick Street Sunday night (3/20) around 11 p.m. for reports of a baby crying in a dark house.
Police met 30-year-old Mikel Atkinson Jr who was arriving at the residence at the same time with his wife. Atkinson told police that he left a 22 month old child and an 8 month old child in the care of a neighbor when he left about 15 minutes earlier to pick up his wife.
Police spoke to the neighbor who had exchanged text messages with Atkinson but had not said he would watch the children. When police mentioned the messages to Atkinson he allegedly admitted that he left the children unattended.