Mom Arrested After Diaper-Wearing Tot Walks Into Traffic

A New York City mother was arrested after she allegedly failed to notice that her toddler slipped out of the house and into traffic, authorities say.      

The Staten Island district attorney's office says 21-year-old Lauren Ayala was arraigned Wednesday on charges of endangering the welfare of a child. She was released on her own recognizance.      

If convicted, she faces up to a year in jail.      

According to court papers, Ayala said she was working on her tax returns Wednesday afternoon and did not notice that her 20-month-old son was missing.      

Police say a passer-by found the boy on Manor Road. The child wearing a t-shirt and a diaper. He was not harmed.
     
The Staten Island Advance says Ayala declined to comment when reached at her home.