Jesse Wayne EdwardsCOEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - The father of a 2-year-old found wandering alone in a parking lot near a pub in Coeur d'Alene told KHQ Monday, "I'm not a bad parent."
KHQ's Dylan Wohlenhaus spoke to Jesse Edwards at his home Monday afternoon, but he declined to go on camera. According to Edwards, "It was an accident, I just forgot" after he left his son home alone Sunday for several hours. "I'm not a bad parent," Edwards says.
Police arrested 36-year-old Edwards and charged him with Child Endangerment, a misdemeanor. Police say Edward's 2-year-old son was found wandering outside Sully's Pub and Grill in Coeur d'Alene Sunday afternoon. A bartender working at Sully's at the time of the incident tells KHQ's Dylan Wohlenhaus the 2-year-old never actually wandered in to the bar. The bartender says a person saw the young boy outside the bar, alone for around 15 minutes before she contacted the boy and brought him inside Sully's.
Edwards and his 2-year-old son live just a few blocks west of Sully's Pub and Grill. Edwards believes his son wandered away from home. It's unclear how long the 2-year-old was wandering outside. Police say they never received any 911 calls about a missing child. More than an hour after the boy was brought inside the bar, police say they contacted Jesse Edwards at a Wal-Mart in Hayden Idaho, 2 miles away from the boy's home. Police confirmed Edwards was the father and arrested him. Responding officers stated that "he appeared to be under the influence of a substance." Although Edwards told KHQ Monday, "I was not under the influence of anything" when he left his son home.
Police say Edwards offered no explanation as to how he was separated from his son. Police say Edwards has legal custody of his son and that the boy's mother has not been in contact with police. Police say Edwards was at work Sunday morning. Police are trying to piece together what happened between those morning hours and the time Edward's son was found alone around 2 pm Sunday afternoon. Jesse Edwards posted bond and has been released from jail. Police say his 2-year-old son is now in the custody of family members.
KHQ is choosing not to use the boys name or photo anymore because he is a minor and police are no longer searching for the parents. Police released his name and photo to the media originally to help in locating the 2-year-old's family.
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