Bob MimsThe mother of a 3-year-old boy left behind in a corn maze apparently has some explaining to do to state child protective services officials.
West Jordan police Sgt. Joe Monson said that the child was noticed by a woman visiting the Crazy Corn Maze, at 8800 S. 4000 West, about 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Police were called to the scene, and after failing to find the boy’s mother or learn his identity, he was put in the safe-keeping of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services overnight.
“At 7:42 a.m. today, the mother woke up and noticed he was missing. She realized she may have left him at the corn maze and called us,” Monson said.
DCFS told police to refer the mother to them, and that she would have to come in and answer some questions before the boy could be returned.
Monson did not know if the child had since been reunited with his family, referring such questions to DCFS.
However, Ashley Sumner, a spokeswoman for DCFS, said she could not confirm anything involving the child’s status due to privacy policies.
Monson said that the boy was upset but uninjured when found, and police believe he had not been lost for long before the “good Samaritan” found him.
Asked how the boy’s absence went unnoticed by his mother for so long, Monson noted that, “This was a case of multiple families with multiple children living in the same home,” but stressed no conclusions had been made.
Police issued no citations, Monson said, noting that the incident had been turned over to DCFS for investigation.
Bob joined The Tribune staff in June 1998 after 18 years as an editor, reporter and sportswriter with The Associated Press. His assignments since have included online news reporting and editing, and coverage of religion, business, medical, fraud, crime and the courts.