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Dad accused of child neglect blames work schedule
Don Swartout is charged with child neglect after admitting he left his 7-year-old alone in a van while he went to work.
PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- A St. Petersburg man accused of leaving his 7-year-old child alone in a van while he was at work said he had no choice because a schedule change left him without childcare.
Don Swartout, 59, was arrested and charged with child neglect.
The child was found Thursday night in a van parked in a Dunedin church parking lot.
Deputies said the van's engine was off and the front windows were open.
Deputies say the child was found with toys, a blanket, and a bottle of water.
"The boy was crying when deputies approached the van, the deputy made contact with him and noted he was in need of assistance, he soiled himself, he was hungry, he was thirsty," said Sgt. Jim Bordner, Pinellas Sheriff's Office.
Deputies located Swartout at his job, Consumer Sales Services in Dunedin, a few blocks away. He admitted to leaving the child alone and unsupervised.
"It's tough when you're a single parent like that, a lot of people here have children but we have to take care of concerns for children first," said Tom Cummins, General Manager.
Swartout told deputies he had been bringing the child to work with him over the past week because a schedule change left him without childcare.
"Moving him from dayshift to evening shift and he's had a challenge finding appropriate child care and for that reason at least on two evenings this week he's brought the child to work with him," Bordner said.
Swartout said he had parked the van at the church because he thought it was a safe place and that he had been checking on the child during his breaks.
Swartout's employers said he left the child in the work parking lot earlier in the day. His employers said when they found out they told Swartout to leave and take care of his son.
Swartout lives in an apartment connected to his landlord's home. She tells Bay News 9 the boy's mother died and she has babysat the child on other occasions.
The child is now in protective custody.
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