Family Of Girl Left At Chuck E. Cheese Comes Forward

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – No criminal charges will be sought against family members of a 2-year-old girl who was left at a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Police picked up the child who called herself Mimi on Saturday night after people at the restaurant realized that no adult was with her, said Lt. Dan Draper.

The family of the girl did not report her missing until seeing her picture in news media reports two days later, authorities said.

On Monday after police alerted the media to the situation, her father contacted authorities, saying his sister had taken her to a birthday party at the restaurant and thought another sister had brought her home after it was over, Draper said.

The father said his sisters often keep toddler Almedia James for days at a time, and he does not have a phone so he did not call them over the weekend, Draper said. The situation appears to be a misunderstanding, Draper said.

The girl remained in foster care Tuesday morning. Child Protective Services officials planned to meet with her relatives later in the day but may discuss the case with a judge before deciding custody, Draper said.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)