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QUATTROCCHI. AND I'M JEFF
SMITH.THANKS FOR JOINING US.
A CHILD WAS LEFT ALONE IN
AN EMPTY APARTMENT OVER NIGHT
MONDAY.NOW.. A NEIGHBOR WHO
FOUND THE CHILD SPEAKS OUT.
NEWS 18'S BRITTANY TYNER
INVESTIGATES HOW C-P-S IS
HANDLING THE SITUATION.#@
BRITTANY: JACKIE POTTS SAYS
SHE RECEIVED A KNOCK ON HER
DOOR TUESDAY MORNING. WHEN SHE
OPENED IT.. SHE FOUND A
NEIGHBOR BOY STANDING THERE
WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES. POTTS
SAYS THE ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY
SAID HE SPENT THE NIGHT ALONE.
(5:43:39-5:43:55)POTTS: HE
CAME
SAID HE SPENT THE NIGHT ALONE.
IN, I GOT HIM CALMED DOWN, AND
FED HIM BREAKFAST BECAUSE HE
SAID HE WAS HUNGRY. HE TOLD ME
HIS MOM LEFT HIM THE NIGHT
BEFORE LAST, AT LIKE 4 O'CLOCK
IN THE AFTERNOON, SAID THAT
SHE WOULD BE BACK IN THE
MORNING TO PICK HIM UP AND
TAKE HIM TO SCHOOL."
BRITTANY: POTTS SAYS SHE
TOOK THE BOY BACK TO HIS
APARTMENT. THAT'S WHEN SHE
DISCOVERED THE APARTMENT ONLY
HAD A BOX SPRING AND THE BOY'S
BOOK BAG IN IT. SHE SAYS THE
ELECTRICITY WAS ALSO TURNED
OFF. POTTS BELIEVES THE BOY'S
MOTHER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF
MOVING OUT. THAT'S WHEN SHE
CALLED THE POLICE AND CHILD
PROTECTIVE SERVICES. SHE SAYS
THE BOY LIED TO POLICE
OFFICERS TO PROTECT HIS MOTHER.
(5:45:19-5:45:27)POTTS: "I
KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO COVER UP
FOR YOUR MOM BUT YOU HAVE TO
BE PROTECTED. AS A CHILD, IF
YOUR MOM CAN'T PROTECT YOU,
SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO."
BRITTANY: ACCORDING TO A
STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE
LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT..
AFTER THE MOTHER WAS LOCATED
AND INTERVIEWED.. THE CHILD
WAS RELEASED BACK TO THE
PARENT. POTTS SAYS OFFICERS
AND C-P-S SHOULD HAVE DONE
MORE.(5:48:38-5:48:45)POTTS:
"A CHILD DESERVES A LIFE. HE
DESERVES TO BE PROTECTED, HE
DESERVES TO BE SAFE. THEY
DESERVE STABILITY."BRITTANY:
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD
SERVICES SAYS IN A WRITTEN
STATEMENT TO NEWS 18, "WHILE
FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS
PROHIBIT D-C-S FROM SHARING
SPECIFICS OF THE CASE, IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT
EVEN WHEN AN ASSESSMENT
DETERMINES A CHILD CAN BE LEFT
IN THE HOME SAFELY, THAT DOES
NOT MEAN THE CONCLUSION OF D-C-
S'S INVOLVEMENT WITH A FAMILY."
BRITTANY: NEWS 18 DECIDED TO
KNOCK ON THE MOTHER'S DOOR TO
GET HER SIDE OF THE STORY.
NAT: KNOCK, KNOCKBRITTANY:
NOBODY ANSWERED. REPORTING IN
LAFAYETTE, BRITTANY TYNER,
NEWS 18.@# POLICE SAY THE
CASE IS STILL UNDER
INVESTIGATION AND IS BEING
REVIEWED BY THE TIPPECANOE