A Marietta, Georgia caregiver allegedly left a 3-year-old boy unsupervised for half an hour before realizing he had wandered out of the home and was walking alone near a busy intersection. Maria Guadalupe Almanza Rivera, 29, now faces criminal charges after police determined she waited two hours to alert family members that the child was missing. The toddler was rescued by two motorists who spotted him near Franklin Gateway and Twin Brooks Drive and took him to a nearby gas station before contacting authorities.
Background
The incident began around 5:45 p.m. on a Monday when two women driving through the Marietta area noticed the young boy wandering near the intersection of Franklin Gateway and Twin Brooks Drive. According to police, the women stopped, picked up the child, and brought him to a nearby gas station for safety before calling the Marietta Police Department. The boy was unable to identify himself or state his home address, prompting officers to post his photograph on the agency’s Facebook page to solicit public assistance in locating his family. The boy’s relatives eventually arrived to retrieve him around 7:30 p.m., roughly two hours after he was first seen wandering.
The Charges
Almanza Rivera has been charged with second-degree child cruelty and reckless conduct, according to Cobb County Jail records. Warrants obtained by local NBC affiliate WXIA indicate that the caregiver did not realize the boy was missing for approximately 30 minutes after he left the home. Furthermore, the warrants state that Almanza Rivera waited until 7:30 p.m. to notify family members that she could not find the child and asked for their help in the search. Investigators allege that Almanza Rivera attempted to obscure the timeline by texting a family member, claiming she had been in the bathroom when the boy wandered off. She is currently being held without bond at the Cobb County Jail.
Key Takeaways
- Maria Guadalupe Almanza Rivera, 29, is charged with second-degree child cruelty and reckless conduct.
- The 3-year-old victim was found wandering near Franklin Gateway and Twin Brooks Drive in Marietta, Ga.
- Police allege the caregiver did not realize the child was missing for 30 minutes.
- The caregiver allegedly waited two hours after the disappearance to alert family members.
- Two motorists rescued the toddler and stayed with him until police located the family.
- Almanza Rivera is being held without bond at Cobb County Jail.
What's Next
Almanza Rivera remains in custody at Cobb County Jail without bond as the legal process moves forward. Court records indicate that the next scheduled appearance for arraignment or preliminary hearing has not yet been publicly released by the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk’s office. Investigators from the Marietta Police Department have completed their initial report and handed the case over to the Cobb County District Attorney’s office for review. The prosecution is expected to determine whether to proceed with a grand jury indictment or file a direct accusation, a decision that will set the timeline for future court dates. Until the next hearing is scheduled, the caregiver remains detained, and the status of the child’s welfare is being monitored by Cobb County Division of Family and Children Services.