Queens Daycare Worker Charged After Boy Found Wandering Alone Faces Judge
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Queens daycare worker went before a judge Wednesday after allegedly letting a little boy wander away and not reporting him missing for five hours.
Oscar Jaramillo, 32, was arraigned Wednesday afternoon and later released on $500 cash bail.
He is facing multiple charges after 4-year-old Emiliano Marquez was found wandering alone in a park while in the care of Jaramillo at Peek-a-Boo Daycare in Woodhaven, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported.
The little boy, nicknamed Emi, is now safely back home with his parents after Tuesday's ordeal.
It was just before 1 p.m. when police say Parks Department workers found Emi by himself in Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village. Detectives sent out a tweet as they tried to track down his family.
Emi's parents went to the 107th Precinct looking for their son around 5 p.m. Tuesday. Jaramillo showed up shortly after to tell police what happened, CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported. Why did he wait so long to come forward?
"He was scared. Not to go to the police. He was just scared that he lost the child," his attorney, Lawrence Herman, told Sanchez.
Police say Emi's parents had dropped him off earlier that day at the licensed family-run daycare center on 85th Street.
"He went missing, he got lost and police found him," said the boy's dad. "He wandered off from a group at child care in the park."
Jaramillo told police that he took his 8-year-old daughter and Emi to the park and lost track of the little boy. But it wasn't until nearly five hours later that Jaramillo reported Emi missing, Burrell reported.
Emi's family is relieved he was found in good spirits and unhurt.
The boy's parents told reporters they weren't angry about what happened, they're just relieved to have their son back.
"It is what it is, he's doing fine and we're thrilled," the boy's dad said.
Parents tell CBS2 they're shocked a child went missing for so long under the facility's care.
"I never had a problem with them, they always look after my son since he was born," Somal Eduardo said.
"I recommend many of my friends here. We've never had a problem," a woman added.
"We've been with them for the past five years," another man said. "We never had any past situations."
One father said he didn't hesitate bringing his children to PeekaBoo Daycare on Wednesday.
"We never had any past situations and even though we do have a situation now there is a lot of gray area that we don't know about yet and until all that's filled in we're here and we're supporting the family," the man said.
The city health department said the day care was inspected last Friday. It was cited for clutter and lack of information about immunization.
Jaramillo is charged with abandoning a child and endangering the welfare of a child. He was also ordered not to have contact with Emi.
