ODHS employee arrested in Bend after leaving baby in car
City of Bend Police arrested an Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) employee after investigators said an 8-month-old baby was left unattended in a vehicle following a family visit in Redmond.
At approximately 1:37 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29, Bend Police received a report that an ODHS family time coordinator left a child in a vehicle on Tuesday, July 28.
An investigation found that ODHS employee Kenneth Michael Anderson coordinated a family visit with the baby and her family in Redmond on July 28. When the visit ended at approximately 2:30 p.m., Anderson drove the baby from the Redmond child welfare office to the Bend child welfare office on SW Emkay Avenue.
The City of Bend Police Department said the baby fell asleep during the drive. After arriving, Anderson parked the van and walked into the office, forgetting the baby in the vehicle. Anderson then left the office in a different vehicle to go to another location.
Within approximately 30 minutes, police said Anderson realized he had forgotten the baby in the van and contacted his supervisor. The supervisor found the baby in the unlocked vehicle, provided care to the child, and took her to St. Charles Bend for evaluation. The baby was released without injury and returned to her resource parents.
Bend Police detectives arrested Anderson on suspicion of second-degree child neglect on Thursday, July 30.
Bend police urged people never to leave a child unattended in a vehicle for any length of time and to check the entire vehicle, especially the backseat, before walking away. Police also suggested placing a purse, backpack or other personal item in the backseat as a reminder to look there before locking the car and leaving.