A man in California is facing criminal charges after he was arrested for reportedly tying his toddler son to up a tree at a homeless camping site.
Jeffery Wilson, 27 was reportedly arrested on July 27 after authorities received a call about a camping site along Highway 20 in Willits.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office says the property owner called in to complain about homeless people camping out on the property illegally.
Deputies had already warned Wilson to clean up and leave on a number of occasions previously.
During their latest visit, authorities saw that Wilson’s 2-year-old son was tied up to a tree by a rope, wearing only a diaper.
The toddler looked in need of food and water, while standing close to hazardous objects.
“The rope was tied around the child’s wrist and secured to a tree branch,” Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said. ‘The child was also lacking basic food and water, was only clothed in a diaper, and was exposed to numerous hazards within the encampment.”
Wilson has been arrested and charged with felony child neglect and abuse, as well as possession of controlled substances.
Authorities booked Wilson into the Mendocino County Jail. and he’s being held in lieu of $25,000.00 bail.
The boy was placed into the custody of Child Protective Services. It’s unclear where the child’s mother was during the incident.