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Background: A section of Kanawha Terrace in Saint Albans, West Virginia (Google Maps). Inset: Mark Blake Jr. (South Central Regional Jail).
Authorities in West Virginia recently discovered a toddler clad only in a diaper wandering close to a busy road. It was later revealed that the individual responsible for supervising the child had fallen asleep.
Mark Blake Jr., aged 42, faces charges of child neglect with a potential risk of injury, as per the Saint Albans Police Department and jail records accessed by Law&Crime. Blake is currently being held at the South Central Regional Jail with a bond set at $25,000.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday when the Saint Albans Police Department responded to a report on Kanawha Terrace, a prominent road in Saint Albans, West Virginia. Officers were alerted to the sighting of “a small child walking alone dressed only in a diaper.”
A “concerned citizen” had come across the child, who surprisingly managed to lead the individual back to their home, according to police. When attempts to get a response from the residence went unanswered, the citizen contacted 911.
Upon arrival, officers also attempted to make contact with someone inside the house but were initially unsuccessful. Eventually, the child allowed them entry, enabling the officers to conduct a search of the premises.
As they did so, they came across a man “asleep upstairs,” police said. As it turned out, the man was the father of the child, and he was identified as Blake, according to authorities.
“[T]his isn’t my deal, I don’t watch kids,” Blake reportedly said as he spoke with officers. He was arrested, and police contacted child workers to further investigate.
The police department also said Blake was on bond for a “similar incident” from August 2025.
Saint Albans is a city of some 10,000 located in western West Virginia.