Sean Edward Patillo, 29, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after leaving his 4-year-old son alone in his then home in the 2800 block of Fink Avenue in Old Lycoming Township while he went to get gas for his 2008 Land Rover about 9:45 p.m. on July 23, it was alleged in an affidavit filed by Lycoming Regional police. However, before he could get gas in his SUV, he was stopped by police in the 1600 block of Dewey Avenue because the registration on the vehicle had expired two months earlier. While talking with the officer, Patillo admitted his son was home alone, police said. It turned out there was a warrant for his arrest out of Philadelphia, charging him with trespassing. An officer accompanied Patillo to his house, where the toddler was indeed found by himself in the house, police said.

A small amount of marijuana along with some paraphernalia were discovered on the kitchen table, and it was “within easy reach of the child, who could have ingested” the substance in his father’s absence, police said. The child was placed in protective custody of an adult until the mother was able to pick him up, the affidavit stated. Patillo, now living at 956 First St., was recently arraigned before District Judge William Solomon on the endangering charge plus possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, and remains jailed in lieu of $25,000 bail.