Kent officers arrest mom for leaving 5-year-old son home alone | Police Blotter

Kent Police arrested a mother for investigation of neglect after she reportedly left her 5-year-old son home alone when she went off to work.

An employee with Section 8 housing went to the residence in the 20800 block of 109th Lane Southeast at about 10:08 a.m. on Nov. 3 for an inspection and found the boy home alone, according to the police report. The employee called 911 to report the case.

The boy told officers his mother was at work and his sister at school. Police went to the mother’s work at a nearby grocery store. The mom told officers a neighbor was supposed to watch the boy. The neighbor told police she had not been asked to watch the boy and had never watched him.

The mother said she had left at about 5 a.m. for work, came back at around 8:30 a.m. to get her daughter off to school and then returned to work. The mother told police she was a single-mom and didn’t have any money for child care or a babysitter. The mother had three warrants for driving with a suspended license.

Police turned the boy over to his grandfather as the mother recommended against giving the boy to his father. Officers took the woman to the city jail and sent a police report about the case to Child Protective Services, part of the state Department of Social and Health Services.

Burglars hit pet store

Officers arrested two men for investigation of second-degree burglary after someone broke a window and removed a safe from Mud Bay, a pet supply store, at about 1:06 a.m. on Nov. 1 in the 10400 block of Southeast 240th Street.

A man called 911 to report two men pushing a safe while walking eastbound along Southeast 240th Street, according to the police report. Multiple units responded to the call.

Police stopped the two men, who each denied involvement. One man said they had left the nearby Phoenix Court Apartments to walk to 7-Eleven to get snacks. Officers found a black file cabinet in bushes not far from the store with papers connecting the item to Mud Bay.

Police also found a broken large glass window at the store and a large piece of curbing inside that apparently had been used to break the window to gain entry.

Officers turned the case over to King County prosecutors, who released one of the men because there was no witness or physical evidence to link the man with entering or leaving the store. Officers could not find any video surveillance that showed the man breaking into the store. No jail records could be found about the other arrested man.

Boyfriend grabs girlfriend

Police arrested a man for investigation of fourth-degree assault after he allegedly aggressively grabbed his girlfriend during a dispute at about 5:06 p.m. on Nov. 1 in the Golden Steer restaurant parking lot in the 23800 block of 104th Avenue Southeast.

The restaurant owner saw the couple in a heated argument and saw the man aggressively grab the woman, according to the police report. The owner went outside, called 911 and the boyfriend fled.

The woman told officers she had been in a fight with her boyfriend, who was high on meth and hadn’t slept in five days. She said he accused her of trying to hire someone to kill him. Police later arrested the man at a bus stop near the restaurant.

Officers recognized the couple from many previous incidents. The man and woman are transients who stay in the East Hill area.

Illegal campers at city park

Officers cited three men for illegal camping after they were found sleeping at a stage inside Earthworks Park, 742 E. Titus St., at about 5:16 p.m. on Nov. 3.

Officers walked through the park to check the stage area, a known spot for homeless to gather and sleep, according to the police report.

The three men were laying under blankets or other warming material. All three men also were given notice that they are prohibited from entering any city park or property for 45 days. One man received a one-year ban because of previous infractions.