Moon Township Man Charged After Leaving 5-Year-Old Home Alone

A Moon Township man is facing child endangerment charges after police said he left a 5-year-old child home alone to confront the boy's mother at work. 

Police have also charged Franklin A. Higgs, 40, of Juniper Drive, Moon, with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.

Police were called Aug. 3 to West Hills Health and Rehbailitation in Moon for a report of a dispute in the parking lot.

Police said Higgs came to his girlfriend’s workplace, argued over a cell phone and struggled with her in the parking lot before scattering the contents of the woman’s purse onto the ground. 

Police said he also broke her cell phone and tried to enter the building after her, which is when police were called.

Police said Higgs smelled of alcohol when officers arrived and was arrested for public drunkenness. The woman, meanwhile, told police she was concerned about her 5-year-old child who was left in Higgs’ care after she went to work at midnight.

Higgs told police he made arrangements with his sister to come from the Garfield area of Pittsburgh to watch the child before he walked from the house.

Police went to the home on Juniper Drive and found the child asleep alone in the home. 

Police estimate the child was left for more than an hour and would have continued to be alone if Higgs hadn’t been arrested. Higgs told police he’d been drinking to celebrate his upcoming birthday. He was taken to Allegheny County Jail. 

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