Bucks County Detectives have charged a Richland Township police officer with endangering the welfare of his 5-year-old son by leaving him home alone.
The charge against Joshua Fonseca, 33, who lives in the township, is a misdemeanor, according to court documents. The officer’s formal arraignment in Doylestown is scheduled for Aug. 30.
Court documents state that the alleged incident occurred on the afternoon of April 22. A neighbor out walking their dog encountered a shoeless boy “crying hysterically” as he ran out the front door of a home. When the child got to the street, he stopped running, but began to wander into the roadway.
The neighbor told police they corralled the child back to the sidewalk and reportedly learned from the boy that his father, who county detectives identified as Fonseca, told him to play a video game then left the house.
During the incident, Fonseca spoke with the neighbors via his Ring doorbell and said he’d be home in a few minutes. When he arrived, Fonseca reportedly took the child inside. Neighbors told police Fonseca said nothing to them, but they could hear him scolding the boy inside the house.
Between the Ring doorbell and surveillance video from the township’s police station, investigators reportedly determined the child was left alone for about 26 minutes.
Fonseca reportedly told county detectives that he’d had the option of leaving the child with a neighbor but opted not to do so.
Sgt. Mike Kisthardt, of the Richland Township police, said Fonseca has been on leave from the department since May 20, which court documents list as the date the charges were filed.
An effort to reach Fonseca for a comment via email Friday was not successful.
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