WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — An arrest warrant has been issued for a man from Luzerne County who left a 6-month-old child with a Toys “R” Us employee and then took off.
Police now say that man is not the baby’s father but was babysitting the little girl when he abandoned the child at the store.
Police say Thomas Himlin, 24, of Plains Township, got in a car crash in Plains while he was watching the baby girl. He eventually drove to the Toys “R” Us in Wilkes-Barre and left the baby with an employee on Wednesday evening.
They tell us he is not the baby’s father.
According to court papers, Himlin was babysitting the child for her mother who was moving out of her apartment.
Authorities say while Himlin was watching the baby, he got into a crash in Plains, continued driving to Kidder Street in Wilkes-Barre, fought with two men and then drove to Toys “R” Us.
He asked an employee to watch the baby while he looked for his phone but he never came back.
Police say the baby’s mother tried to call Himlin. Eventually, she called police and let them know she is the baby’s mother.
The baby is now in the custody of Luzerne County Children and Youth.
Under Pennsylvania’s Safe Haven Law, a parent can give up their child at a hospital up until the baby is 28 days old.
“We certainly want to help anyone make sure their child is safe. If they feel they don’t have the means or the ability to do it, they can come to us. We can meet with them. We can try to provide services but if they’re not interested in services, we can look to put their baby up for adoption or they could go to an adoption agency,” said Deanna German, deputy director of Luzerne County Children and Youth.
Police have an arrest warrant out for Thomas Himlin, charging him with endangering the welfare of a child.
If you have any information that might help police track down Himlin, you’re asked to call 911.
