Toddler found roaming S. Elgin parking lot

A 2-year-old Elgin boy was found wandering around a parking lot Tuesday morning by a utility worker in South Elgin, police said.

The father was browsing the adult video selections inside a nearby store, police said Wednesday.

The boy was found at 11:40 a.m. near Suburban Video, 50 S. McLean Blvd., South Elgin, police said.

The worker who discovered the child said the boy was nearly struck by a car in the parking lot before he was retrieved.

The boy was wearing a yellow T-shirt, shorts and was barefoot.

The boy's 4-year-old brother was sitting in the back seat of a car with its door ajar, its radio playing and the keys in the ignition.

Neither boy spoke English, police said.

The father, Deth Phetmeuangmay, 38, of 767 Jay St., Elgin, was charged with two counts of endangering the life/health of a child, police said.

Police said they found the father inside the video store.

Police believe Phetmeuangmay was in the store 67 minutes Tuesday because he returned a video at 10:37 a.m. and checked another out at 11:44 a.m.

Clerks at the video store said Phetmeuangmay visited their business frequently and often left his children in the car when he went into the adult video section, according to a police report.

Phetmeuangmay posted an unknown bond and was released from custody Tuesday.

His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 17 in Elgin.

South Elgin police said the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was contacted and the agency will follow up with the family within 24 hours.