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Ohio boy, 3, who was abandoned in a cemetery with his dog two days before Christmas is reunited with his father while cops weigh charges against his mom
- Boy was left abandoned with his dog in a cemetery two days before Christmas
- Three-year-old Tony was picked up by officers from Hinckley Police Department
- A witness had reported seeing a car speed away with the boy running after it
- The youngster was placed in care temporarily until his father was tracked down
- Both the boy and his dog are now with their dad while his mother is in care
- Police say charged are likely upon her release at which point she will be ID’d
A three-year-old boy who was abandoned in an Ohio cemetery with his dog just two days before Christmas has been reunited with his father, while his mother has been taken into care.
Police responded to a call on Wednesday afternoon after a witness reported seeing a blue car driving away from the cemetery, with the three-year-old youngster and his dog chasing after it.
Hinkley Police Chief David Centner said that both boy, named Tony, and the dog are now being looked after by his dad.
The boy named Tony (pictured above), was abandoned at Hope Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Hinckley just two days before Christmas
Hinkley Police Chief David Centner said that both Tony and the dog are being looked after by his dad and thanked the local community in a Facebook posting
‘I spoke with his father this morning and he expressed his appreciation to everyone for their generosity and said Tony is doing very well,’ the chief wrote in a Facebook post.
‘The mother is the focus of our investigation and is currently in the care of a local medical facility. We are working with the Municipal Law Director as to charges upon her release,’ Centner said. ‘I am not releasing her name until the time she is formally charged.’
The mother was supposed to have custody of the child at the time of the incident, while the boy’s father had nothing to do with what happened in the Hope Memorial Gardens Cemetery and is cooperating with police as well as children services
Centner thanked the community for their support in the post. Hundreds of people bought gifts for the boy and dropped them off at the local police station.
He is now encouraging residents to donate to other people in need instead.
After word spread about the incident among the local community and beyond, the lobby of the Hinckley Police Department became flooded with clothes and gifts for the boy
‘If you feel the blessing to help, please check with your local communities as there are always needs to be filled. We are truly humbled by the response not only locally but from across our great country!
‘We can not thank each of you enough for your love and support. This outpouring is what makes Hinckley and our surrounding communities the best place to live and work! ‘
At the time of the incident on Wednesday, witnesses saw a blue mid-sized blocking the drive to the cemetery before suddenly speeding away with the little boy running after it.
When the boy was found he gave his name as Tony but could only identify his parents by their first names.
Chief Centner thanked the community for their support in the Facebook posting. Hundreds of people brought gifts for the boy and dropped them off at the local police station.
The child was taken into custody with child services and placed in the ‘loving’ home of a foster family, police said.
A relative of the boy recognized the photo of him published in local media and contacted Tony’s father.
He called the police and indicated that Tony had been in the custody of his mother when he and his dog were abandoned at the cemetery.
After word spread about the incident among the local community and beyond, the lobby of the Hinckley Police Department became flooded with clothes and gifts for the boy.
The donations came from across Medina County and Northeast Ohio.
Officers responded to Hope Memorial Gardens Cemetery, pictured above, in Hinkley on last week and found the little boy identified as Tony alone with his dog
Chief David Centner took to Facebook a day later, on Christmas Eve, to post a picture of the police department lobby full of gifts. ‘From all of us at HPD we want to thank everyone for your kindness, thoughts, prayers and overwhelming love,’ he wrote.
‘Our lobby is full from the gifts that have been dropped off. I reached out to my friend Santa and tomorrow morning after he has finished his deliveries he is going to stop at HPD.
‘We are going to load the sleigh and make one final stop to see our little friend.’
Hinckley Police Chief David Centner told FOX 8 that no criminal charges have yet been filed, and detectives and case workers are continuing their investigation.
