Background: The 300 block of East Melrose Avenue in Bloomington, Indiana (Google Maps). Inset: Stephanie Wiederhold (Bloomington Police Department).
An Indiana mother left her young children alone at home to be with a man, leading to the younger of the two kids wandering outside in search of her, authorities say.
Stephanie Wiederhold, 32, has been charged with the neglect of a dependent, Monroe County court records show. Her alleged transgression occurred on Monday night in Bloomington.
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The mom of two left her home on the 300 block of East Melrose Avenue to visit a man, according to an arrest affidavit reviewed by Indianapolis-based CBS affiliate WXIN. She allegedly said she felt fine leaving because the children were sleeping.
But the kids were not asleep — or at least not for long. The Bloomington Police Department told Law&Crime that the younger child, just 3 years old, wandered outside looking for their mother. At about 11:30 p.m., neighbors are said to have spotted the toddler, leading to law enforcement”s arrival at the residence.
The older of the two kids was 10 years old, and they had a number for their mom, police said. Authorities called Wiederhold, and she quickly arrived home, reportedly telling officers that she had just left to get gas.
However, when investigators searched the surveillance footage of a nearby gas station, they saw no sign of her car having traveled there, per WXIN. Wiederhold was arrested and booked into the Monroe County Jail on a $2,000 surety or $500 cash bond.
Court records show that she has since bonded out.
Wiederhold was scheduled for an initial hearing in court on Friday afternoon.
