Jones County sheriff deputies arrested a 28-year-old Louisiana man for alleged child neglect after responding to a call from David’s Grocery Store in the Myrick Community Saturday evening concerning a 3-year-old child who had wandered approximately one block from his residence. According to Sheriff Alex Hodge, “The child had allegedly been at the store over two hours before authorities were contacted by the child’s father.”

Deputies responded to the home occupied by a relative of the suspect and arrested 28-year-old Allen Legros of Louisiana for child neglect and transported him to the Jones County Adult Detention Center.

“The child was placed in the custody of the Department of Human Services but was later released to the mother,” Hodge said.

John Smith, investigator with the Jones County Sheriff’s Department, suggested that parents should do the following: “Always know the whereabouts of your children; do not assume that they are playing in the yard but check on them frequently; do not rely on past habits, because kids become curious and tend to wander; become familiar with your neighbors and those directly involved with your children and take every precaution to protect the safety of your children at all times.”