A Meriden man and a family member from Danbury were arrested on Saturday night after leaving a 3-year-old child alone so they could go to a party, according to police.
A resident of Town Hill Avenue in Danbury called police just before 10 p.m. after seeing a 3-year-old child wearing only a light sweatshirt standing on a porch, pacing back and forth, and knocking on the door, police said.
The neighbor went over, knocked on the door and called police after waiting around 30 minutes, police said.
About 15 minutes after police arrived, Monica Panora, 35, of Meriden, arrived and told police that she was at a party, according to a news release from Danbury police.
She said she left her child in the care of an uncle, Rafeal Freire-Recuenco, 36, of Danbury, police said.
But then, Panora told officers that Freire-Recuenco said he was also going to the party and she told him the child could be left home alone, sleeping, according to police.
Panora was charged with risk of injury and released on a promise to appear.
Freire-Recuenco was also charged with risk of injury and released on a promise to appear.
Police have contacted the state Department of Children and Families.
