GRAFTON, N.D. (KFGO/KVRR) — A Grand Forks woman has been charged with child abandonment, child neglect, and reckless endangerment after allegedly leaving her young child alone along the interstate in Walsh County.
A passerby noticed the child on Wednesday afternoon and called Walsh County dispatch. Deputies and troopers found the 4-year-old near an I-29 overpass south of the Grafton exit.
A relative of 37-year-old Ashley Johnson called Grafton Police to report that their relative had “messed up” and left their child along the interstate.
Court documents show Johnson told investigators that she wanted to keep her other child safe and knowingly left her child along the interstate telling them to “stay in the grass away from cars”.
The child was left alone for nearly 45 minutes.
Johnson appeared in court Thursday via Zoom.
