Terra Alta man charged with child abuse after toddler found alone alongside W.Va. 7

Jul. 7--KINGWOOD -- A Terra Alta man was charged with child abuse creating risk of injury Thursday, after his 3-year-old son was found standing along W.Va. 7.

Just about a month earlier, the mother of Jason Allen Poling's children pleaded no contest to child neglect after their 5-year-old daughter was also found alone along the road by neighbors.

According to the criminal complaint by Preston Sheriff's Sgt. S.R. Mitter, this time, neighbors found the boy and called police. It was 9:12 p.m., and Mitter found the front door of the house open and Poling asleep in a chair in the living room.

Deputies woke him and asked where his child wasPoling said in bed. Poling checked in the bedroom and asked where his son wasOfficers told him the child had been found along the road.

Poling said he came home from work at 5:30 p.m. and fell asleep in the chair. They asked him where his daughter was, and Poling said camping with her mother.

Deputy Mitter said she saw "a large rat " in the kitchen while at the house. The child was dirty and did not have shoes on. He was turned over to child protective services. Poling's bond was set at $75, 000.

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