Tacoma couple charged after 2-year-old son allegedly spotted with pot pipe, lighter, knife

TACOMA -- A Tacoma couple were charged Friday with three counts of abandonment for allegedly leaving their three young children alone at their apartment complex and their 2-year-old son was spotted wandering around with a marijuana pipe, a lighter and a knife, the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office said.

The boy's 7-year-old sister told a neighbor that she had been left in charge to baby-sit him and their 1-year-old brother, a spokeswoman said.

Charged with child abandonment were Julio Salazar, 33, and Ann Rogers, 28. They pleaded not guilty Friday, and were ordered held on $150,000 bail.

Salazar and Rogers told police at the Orchard Hills apartment complex that they had gone only a few minutes to pick up a prescription Thursday.

Child Protective Services took the three children out of the home.

The News Tribune of Tacoma first reported this story, and the prosecutor's office confirmed the details.