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Darien Police say they responded to the area of Noroton Avenue by West Elm Street on a report of an unsupervised 3-year-old girl on Sunday, Oct. 13 around 5:15 p.m.
The incident was reported by a resident who observed the child while walking her dog on the sidewalk, according to police.
While on the scene, a Chestnut Street resident arrived and alleged that he had seen the girl playing with what he believed to be her brother near the Allen O’Neill Apartments, police say.
A subsequent search of the area resulted in the discovery of the girl’s 8-year-old brother, who police say was found riding his bike on the sidewalk in front of a building on Allen O’Neill Drive.
Police determined that the children were staying with Jessica Cruz, 34, who lives in a building on O’Neill Avenue.
Cruz allegedly told police that the two children belonged to her boyfriend and that she was watching them. She stated that she allows the children to leave the residence to play out the back door, which backs up to Noroton Avenue, according to police.
Police say Cruz did not believe them when they told her that the 3-year-old girl was located almost two blocks away on Noroton Avenue.
Cruz was issued a misdemeanor summons and charged with two counts of leaving a child under the age of 12 unsupervised. She was released on a POI and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
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