West Des Moines Police Spend Day Trying to Reunite Toddler With Family

A West Des Moines toddler was reunited with her family about eight hours after she was found wandering alone in the 2200 block of E.P. True Parkway Sunday, according to KCCI.com.

Resident John Barten told the TV station he and his wife drove down E.P. True Parkway at about 7:45 a.m. when they saw something that made them pull over immediately.

"(A) 3- or 4-year-old was coming down the street on the sidewalk," Barten said.

Barten said the little girl, who was wearing pajamas, was wandering alone near the Hamlet Apartments on E.P. True Parkway.

"She was really scared at the time. She was kind of crying and calling out for her dad," Barten told KCCI.

Barten, his wife and another woman passing by, tried to comfort the child, but they said the Hispanic little girl didn't seem to understand English and wasn't able to tell them her name or where she lived. Barten said they notified police.

Police said officers turned the child over to the Department of Human Services before they continued a nearly day-long search to find the family.

At about 5 p.m., officers found the child's family, who live at the Hamlet Apartments, the TV station said.

No charges of child neglect have been filed in the case.