CALIFORNIA, Md. — A 37-year-old California man is facing a child neglect charge after a 3-year-old boy under his care was found wandering alone in a busy neighborhood for nearly an hour, at one point nearly being struck by a car.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, when a woman on Novosel Court noticed the toddler walking unattended. According to the statement of probable cause, the woman picked up the child after seeing a car almost hit him. She cared for the boy for approximately an hour before calling the police for assistance.
A St. Mary’s County sheriff’s deputy responded and, while speaking with the woman, was approached by the child’s family, who had just begun looking for him. The man responsible for watching the child, identified as Jeremy Mark Owens, told the deputy he had only gone inside for about 10 minutes.
However, according to charging documents, the woman who found the child provided the deputy with a time-stamped photo she had taken, which contradicted Owens’ timeline and showed the toddler had been missing for nearly an hour. The family admitted that they “team up” to watch the child and that he was supposed to be supervised by a 12-year-old, who is too young to be a legal caretaker.
As a result of the incident, Owens was charged via a criminal summons on Aug. 4, 2025, with neglect of a minor. The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. A preliminary inquiry is scheduled for Sept. 19, 2025.
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I feel bad for the twelve-year-old. I’m sure his parents and/or Owens punished them, even though the parents and Owens are the ones who put the twelve-year-old in that position.