Man arrested after abandoned toddler found at Little Rock bank

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — An arrest has been made after a toddler was abandoned in a west Little Rock parking lot on Friday morning.

Police say it happened at the BancorpSouth on Shackleford Road.

Several people that KATV spoke with just couldn't believe a child was left behind a building.

"Because I am a mom, I understand the stresses of parenting, and honestly it's not for everybody."

Latasha Moore says there's absolutely no excuse to leave an innocent child fending for themselves, especially with all the resources that are available.

"From my understanding, in the state, we just got some baby boxes in certain fire station locations, there are a plethora of ways to do things, and that wasn't it,” Moore said.

But the unthinkable happened around 8 a.m. Friday.

Little Rock police say a child believed to be around 18 months old was abandoned behind the bank.

The man police believe to be the father, 46-year-old Charles Williams, is now behind bars and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor.

The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office responded to a suspicious vehicle call in the county, so they made contact with Williams, who matched the descriptions of the man seen leaving the child hours earlier behind the bank.

"Other than the baby boxes, I'm sure there are other public locations that'll take a child. There's a better way than just having the child wander, because the child I'm sure, could've died."

Police say the child appears to be okay and in DHS custody.

Williams is being held at the Pulaski County Detention Center with no bond.

A previous version of this story listed an incorrect location of the bank.