PANAMA CITY — Police have arrested a man for child neglect whose 3-year-old child wandered off as he slept, police announced Monday.
Panama City police were called to Andrews Place Apartments, 1914 Frankford Ave., Sunday morning by residents who found a 3-year-old child wandering in the rain. Officers completed a sweep of the apartment complex and were unable to locate the child’s parents. The young child was unable to give officers useful information, according to police reports.
The Department of Children and Families was notified and took custody of the child.
At 12:30 p.m., officers were sent back to Andrews Place apartments in reference to a missing child reported by 26-year-old Harry A. Stutzke IV. Officers made contact with Stutzke who stated his son was missing. Detectives were notified and Stutzke was taken to the police department to be interviewed.
Stutzke stated during the interview that he returned to the apartment of a friend around 2 a.m. Stutzke stated he put his son to bed in a spare room and began drinking with his friend and fell asleep. When Stutzke awoke he was unable to find his son in the apartment or outside and called the police.
Stutzke was arrested and taken to the Bay County Jail, charged with one count of child neglect.