The father of a toddler found wandering in Glendale on Sunday evening said he had left his daughter with a baby-sitter found on a popular Web site.

Shane Englehart, 25, told Glendale police he had hired the baby-sitter on Craigslist, an online listing for a variety of services.

But Englehart told police that when he returned home, he found his apartment empty with no sign of the baby-sitter or his 2 1/2-year-old daughter, police spokesman Jim Toomey said.

Toomey said police found Englehart's statement credible. He is not expected to face criminal charges.

A passer-by had found the child wandering unattended at an apartment complex near 63rd and Northern avenues, police said.

The girl was placed in custody of Child Protective Services as authorities continued to sort out the matter, Toomey said.

The case is a reminder that parents should ask for references of potential baby-sitters and check those references before hiring anyone, he said.