A 31-year-old man was arrested Thursday morning after allegedly abandoning his 6-year-old son at a park in South El Monte, police said.
Juan Garcia, a resident of Pomona, was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to a press release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies responded at 9:40 p.m. Monday to Legg Lake, located in Whittier Narrows Regional Park (map), regarding a found child, the release said. They “contacted” a person who found a six-year-old boy crying and looking for his father, authorities said.
The child, who was cold and hungry, was placed in a patrol car and fed while the deputies searched conducted a search based on the limited information he provided, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
An empty vehicle with a flat tire was located nearby. Authorities believe Garcia had been the driver.
The boy was placed into protective custody at 1 a.m., “after all attempts to locate the father had been exhausted,” the press release said. The 6-year-old’s mother was later found and took custody of him.
Juan Garcia arrested was booked at the sheriff’s San Dimas station, officials said. The department did not specify when and where he was taken into custody. He is expected to appear on court on Aug 11.
Anyone with information is asked to call sheriff’s Deputy Johnie Jones at 323-376-7621