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Chunli He was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 24, when the child was found walking on New Street in Wilton, according to police.
The incident took place when He, age 41, left the child in a playpen at home alone in Wilton to go to a grocery store located about a quarter-mile from her home, Lieutenant Gregg Phillipson of the Wilton Police.
While gone, the child was found by a resident who noticed the shoeless, jacketless toddler walking alone near the intersection of New Street and Danbury Road, Phillipson said.
The Wilton resident then carried the child to her home and provided blankets, food, and water to the child, and contacted the police.
"The child was unable to communicate his name or his parent's names to officers," Phillipson said.
Due to the lack of clothes on the child, it was believed that he had exited a nearby residence. Georgetown EMS was dispatched to the residence and provided the child with a medical evaluation.
During this time, a parent of the child called Wilton PD to report their child missing and the identity of the child was discovered and he lives on a neighboring street, Phillipson said.
The parents arrived at the residence where the child was located the mother said she told her husband the baby was gone when she returned home from the market and he contacted the police.
The father was not home at the time she went to the market.
The mother was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and risk of injury to a minor.
She was released on a $5,000 bond.
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