Girl Found Wandering; Mom Charged

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — The mother of a 4-year-old girl who was found in her front yard, alone and crying, early Thursday morning was charged with child endangerment.

Cuyahoga Falls Police responded to the 2600 block of Elmwood Street just after 4:30 a.m. A next-door neighbor spotted the child wandering around outside and called for help.

“Hi.  I was just taking my dog outside and there’s a little girl, about five years old, who is outside on her porch.  She is screaming at the top of her lungs,” the caller told a dispatcher.

Police said the neighbor waited with the girl until officers arrived. When they got there, she was still crying, and told them that her mother had left.

Officers found the house unlocked with no one inside, and attempts to find an immediate family member were unsuccessful.

The child was taken to the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, where Summit County Children Services took her into temporary custody.

A warrant had been issued for the girl’s mother, 30-year-old Colleen Testa. Testa was arrested at her home a few hours after the incident.

Testa’s other daughter, age 9, was located at another address. Children Services has temporary custody of her, as well.

Stick with Fox 8 News and FOX8.com for updates on this story as they become available.