OTTAWA — A 28-year-old Ottawa man was booked into the Franklin County jail Wednesday in connection with the discovery of a two-year-old boy found walking in the street at the intersection of East 5th and South Mulberry streets Wednesday morning. Justin Vogeler was booked for endangering a child. A citizen found the boy walking in the street, called 911 and stayed with the child until police arrived, Ottawa Police Cap. Adam Weingartner said. Patrol officers knocked on doors near the area but were unable to find the child’s home or parents, he said. The child’s picture was distributed through the police department’s Twitter account, he said. Citizens familiar with the boy contacted police. The child walked away from a house in the 500 block of south sycamore street, about a block away, Weingartner said. An adult roommate of the father in the home was asleep and unaware the children were there or that one had left, he said. He said the roommate is not considered a suspect. Detectives took the 2-year-old boy and a 6-month-old boy found at the home into protective custody, he said. Weingartner said he thanks the concerned citizen who called 911 and kept the child safe, and the public for the fast response in helping identify the child.
Thursday, July 25, 4 p.m.
