Man accused of leaving son in local store as form of punishment

11/29/2017
BY ALLISON REAMER
BLADE STAFF WRITER
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    A Tennessee man was arrested Tuesday after Rossford police say he left his 8-year-old son in a local store as a form of punishment.

    Joseph McGuffin, 45, of Shelbyville, Tenn. is charged with child endangering, a misdemeanor of the first-degree. 

    Rossford Police Chief Glenn Goss Sr., said the boy and his 5-year-old sister were arguing in the car as the family was traveling from Michigan back to their home in Tennessee. Mr. McGuffin stopped at the Rossford Meijer store and is accused of leaving the boy there as a form of punishment, the chief said. 

    Meijer employees called police about the lone child, who was left alone for approximately an hour, according to documents filed in Perrysburg Municipal Court. Police received the call around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday

    Mr. McGuffin left the store and told police he considered leaving his daughter at a nearby Kroger store, Chief Goss said. 

    Police arrived and found the boy as Mr. McGuffin arrived back at the Meijer store. He identified himself as the father, the chief said. 

    He was taken to the Wood County jail and is being held in lieu of $6,500 bond, with no 10 percent allowed. He is scheduled to appear in Perrysburg Municipal Court Thursday.

    Wood County Children’s Services took the children into custody. They were not injured.

    The children’s mother, who is also in Tennessee, has been contacted. The mother previously reported to law enforcement in Tennessee that the children had not been returned to her at an agreed upon time, according to Chief Goss. 

    Contact Allison Reamer at areamer@theblade.com, 419-724-6506 or on Twitter @AllisonRBlade.