The mother of a nonverbal child found alone at night in Ohio has been arrested after the young boy was spotted dozens of miles away from his home, police say.

McClatchy News previously reported the nonverbal young boy was found in Colerain Township, located northwest of Cincinnati, on Feb. 17. At the time, police were looking to identify the boy.

Since then, police said in a news release they have identified the boy, who is 5 years old and has autism.

His mother, Heather Nicole Adkins, was arrested in Kentucky for an outstanding warrant before police discovered she was wanted in Ohio for child endangerment, WCPO reported.

Adkins was set to be arraigned on Feb. 22, court records show.

The 5-year-old boy is originally from Shelbyville, Ind., which is about 75 miles away from where he was found.

Police say he was driven to Colerain Township and abandoned. A motorist found him wandering in the dark about an hour later, according to the release.

The motorist who found the young boy told WCPO that God put them in each other’s paths for a reason.

“He seemed cold, he seemed lost, he seemed disheveled, but once he (saw) that there was somebody there, some people there to help him, he began to relax a little bit,” Ron Reese told the news outlet.

According to WISH, the boy’s father was recently arrested in Shelbyville for violating his probation.

Police identified the child on Feb. 18, one day after he was found on the street at night.

“We have identified this child and are continuing to investigate this incident,” a news release from police said. “Thanks to concerned residents who called us quickly last night, he is safe and warm. He will remain safe while we continue the investigation.”

© 2022 McClatchy News
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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