Man charged with leaving daughter alone after arrest

A Cape Girardeau man was charged Tuesday with misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child for failing to tell police who arrested him that his 2-year-old daughter was home alone.

Robert B. Stemmerick, of 509 Bellevue St., was arrested around 11:30 p.m. April 13 by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on a Pennsylvania warrant for a driving violation, according to Cape Girardeau police spokesman Jason Selzer.

Following his arrest, Stemmerick's daughter remained in her crib with no food or water until she was found by family members around 4:30 p.m. the next day, he said.

According to a probable-cause statement, Stemmerick said he had only planned to be gone for about 15 minutes when he was pulled over by police.

He admitted he never told the arresting officer about his daughter but claimed he attempted to tell a corrections officer, who responded that Stemmerick was "sick" for leaving the child alone, the statement said.

On April 14, Stemmerick's brother came to the jail to post bond, but the two quarreled and the defendant did not tell his brother about the girl, according to the statement.

About 17 hours after Stemmerick's arrest, the brother realized the daughter was home alone and picked her up.

Bond was set at $1,500 for the misdemeanor, but Stemmerick remained in custody Tuesday night at the county jail pending resolution of his out-of-state warrant.

Since Stemmerick's arrest, his daughter has been with her uncle, according to Selzer.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127