23-year-old man charged after toddler in unattended stroller almost rolls into traffic: LPS

A sign on Lethbridge Police Service headquarters is pictured in Lethbridge on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

A 23-year-old man has been charged in connection with an incident Lethbridge police believe endangered the life of his two-year-old son.

On Wednesday, Lethbridge police say they responded to a business on the 500 block of First Avenue South after security there said they had to stop a toddler who was in an unattended stroller from rolling into oncoming traffic.

Security staff reported an intoxicated man nearby who was slumped against a pillar when the toddler used his feet to propel himself towards First Avenue while strapped into the stroller.

Police say there were no other adults around and the man made no attempt to retrieve the child and stroller.

Security staff stepped in, stopping the stroller from rolling into the street, then called police to report the incident.

Officers spoke to the man who they say displayed signs of gross intoxication that made him unable to care for himself or his child.

A search of the stroller yielded a bottle of open liquor in a bag attached to the stroller, police say.

Further investigation revealed the man had previous conditions forbidding him from possessing or consuming alcohol.

He was arrested without incident at the scene.

The unharmed child was cared for by police until family members arrived to take custody of the boy.

The 23-year-old man, whose name has been withheld to protect the identity of the child, was charged with a single count of failing to provide the necessities of life and four counts of breaching release order conditions.

He was remanded into custody after a bail hearing. He was scheduled to appear in court Friday.