WASHINGTON, Mo. • A 2-year-old boy was found wandering alone on Sunday, the third such incident involving the same child in less than a month, police said.

In the latter two incidents, the boy was clad only in a diaper, said detective Sgt. Steve Sitzes. He said officers found the child Sunday afternoon about two blocks from his home, which is in the 1000 block of Jefferson Street.

The boy also wandered alone from home on Oct. 9 and again on Oct. 18, when he was found about 2:30 a.m. nearly a half mile from home, Sitzes said.

He said the boy lives with five other children, four of whom are his siblings, and several adults, including his mother, grandfather and an aunt. Sitzes said the adults in the house told officers Monday that the boy's father recently moved away.

After each incident, he said, state social workers accompanied officers to the house. He said the children remained in the residence as of Tuesday.

Sitzes said Washington police investigators are recommending that Franklin County Prosecuting attorney Robert Parks file charges of child endangerment.

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