HARPER WOODS MICHIGAN, A Michigan father has been arrested after police say his 13-month-old son was discovered inside a vehicle that had been towed and left in an impound lot for more than a day.
Authorities identified the suspect as Orlander Murnell Linson Jr., who faces one count of child abuse by leaving a child in a vehicle resulting in physical harm and one count of second-degree child abuse.
According to the Harper Woods Police Department, officers responded Friday to a report of an abandoned vehicle in the 20600 block of Damman Street. The car was illegally parked on a restricted side of the street and was blocking a resident’s driveway.
A tow truck removed the vehicle and transported it to an impound lot in Eastpointe. Police said the doors were locked and the tow operator was unable to search or inventory the vehicle’s contents.
The following day, a Detroit Police detective contacted Harper Woods police while investigating a report of a missing child. The detective determined that the missing child’s father owned the vehicle that had been impounded the day before.
Officers from both departments immediately responded to the tow yard and located the toddler inside the vehicle. Police said the child was crying and was found pinned between his car seat and the rear passenger door.
Emergency medical personnel transported the boy to a nearby hospital, where doctors determined he was in stable condition. He remained under medical observation through the weekend. Child Protective Services was also notified.
Police credited the Detroit detective for locating the vehicle and discovering the child. Officials said the detective used license plate and vehicle identification information to track the car to the towing company.
During Linson’s initial court appearance, prosecutors argued for a high bond, citing concerns that he posed a flight risk. Authorities said Linson currently has multiple active warrants and does not have a confirmed residence.
Linson is being held on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to return to court on March 11. The investigation remains ongoing.
