Child found wandering alone in Cape Coral, mother facing child neglect charge

A baby in a diaper was found unsupervised, roaming the streets of Southwest Florida with their dog.

That baby’s mom, Mary Wright, faces a child neglect charge for allowing her toddler to wander the streets of their Cape Coral neighborhood barefoot, wearing only a diaper, while walking with a pit bull.

“This child is in a dangerous situation, whether it’s from the elements, animals, vehicles in the road or in the driveway, there’s no reason for a 1-year-old to be walking around like this,” said WINK News Saftey and Security Specialist Rich Kolko.

Kolko said, in his opinion, Cape Coral police were correct to arrest Wright.

A neighbor called the cops to say she saw the baby with the dog at the intersection of Northeast 24th Terrace and Northeast 20th Avenue.

When police officers arrived at Wright’s home, they wrote in her arrest report that they found broken alcohol bottles, broken windows, and a butcher knife in the driveway.

“It’s not unusual. It’s tragic, but it’s not unusual,” said David Thomas, a forensics professor at FGCU.

Thomas also read the arrest report and saw how Wright said she told her three other kids to watch the baby.

The officer wrote that Wright didn’t seem too worried about her child. She even said she’ll wait for the Department of Children and Families to call.

WINK News asked Thomas what it would take to have DCF take the kids from Wright.

“The circumstances that are described in this report, are actually the circumstances that would give them just cause to be able to remove the child,” said Thomas.

No one has said if DCF took the child.

WINK News tried to speak with Wright, who was released on a $5,000 bond, but she declined to comment on her arrest.