Woman facing felony charge after autistic son wanders off
A local woman was arrested on a felony child endangerment charge Sunday after her autistic son was allegedly found walking on the roadway after wandering away from home.
Laquisha Michelle Percy, 32, who lists a Greenwood Avenue address, was taken into custody shortly after 12:30 p.m. and charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, punishable by up to six years in prison.
Percy, who lists no prior felony history, was being held on a $2,500 bond and was set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Hot Springs police responded to the Dollar General, 617 Albert Pike Road, regarding a missing 6-year-old boy.
Officers spoke to a Garland County sheriff’s deputy in the parking lot who stated he was flagged down by a woman, identified as Percy, who was looking for her missing autistic son who had left their residence.
The affidavit notes officers were “familiar with the situation” following a similar incident on Saturday where the boy was reportedly found in the 1000 block of Albert Pike Road walking around in a parking lot with no parent or guardian.
Officers searched the area near the Dollar General and were notified a witness had seen the child walking on the road near West St. Louis Street and Airport Road.
Officers responded there and found the boy just east of Airport on West St. Louis, which they noted was six-tenths of a mile from his residence. “Due to the high amount of traffic in the area,” they noted the child was in danger of being struck by a car and was also observed not to have any food or water, the affidavit said.
The child was brought back to the Dollar General where Percy arrived moments later. She told officers her son went missing at 12:10 p.m. and made a spontaneous statement it was “the third incident of (her son) leaving the residence without her or another guardian.” She also told the officers her son has autism.
The Department of Human Services was notified and reportedly took custody of the boy and Percy was taken into custody by officers at the scene without incident.