Mother Charged After Leaving Child Alone Along I-29 in Walsh County

WALSH CO., N.D. (KVRR) — A Grand Forks woman is accused of leaving her young child alone along I-29 in Walsh County.

37-year-old Ashley Johnson is charged with abandonment of a child, child neglect and reckless endangerment.

A passerby noticed the child, believed to be around 4, in a one piece on Wednesday afternoon and called Walsh County dispatch.

Deputies and troopers found the child near the 63rd Street Overpass.

In the meantime, a relative 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 this afternoon over Zoom.