Toddler Found Alone In Smoking Apartment

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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Emergency crews made a shocking discovery while responding to a possible fire at an apartment complex in east Fort Worth early Tuesday morning. A small child was left alone inside of the building.

The incident happened at about 1:30 a.m. at the Waters Landing Apartments, located in the 1000 block of Fringewood Drive, close to John T. White Road.

Neighbors called 911 after smelling and seeing smoke coming from a second-story apartment unit. Firefighters arrived at the scene and found the smoke coming from the apartment's kitchen area, the result of some unattended food left on the stove. Officials said that there was no fire.

But firefighters also found something else.

There was a 17-month-old boy alone inside of the smoky apartment. He was discovered in a bedroom underneath some covers. He started to cry after seeing the firefighters, officials said. MedStar took the toddler to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth to be treated for smoke inhalation. Officials at the scene stated that he will be okay.

The child's father, identified as 34-year-old Vincent Van Arsdale, was arrested for abandoning and endangering a child, marijuana possession and eight oustanding warrants. During questioning, Van Arsdale said that he left the toddler in a bedroom while he drove to his wife's work. It is not clear how long the boy was alone.

Investigators confirmed that the child's mother was at work during the incident. She arrived at the scene soon after and has been speaking with police.