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WEST VALLEY CITY — The mother of a 9-year-old who was found riding his bike on I-215 late Friday night has been cited for reckless endangerment, according to West Valley Police Sgt. Jason Hauer.
The boy was found on the bike on the major freeway near 3200 South by a couple who saw the boy. They flagged down police officers at about 11:30 p.m. They were unable to learn who the boy's mother was at the time.
He was eventually placed in the custody of the Department of Child and Family Services.
Though the boy was found Friday night, the mother did not report the boy as missing until Saturday. Police found the mother when a local business owner called West Valley police to say a mother had come to his store Saturday night with a picture of the boy, whom he recognized from news reports.
After interviewing the mother, 25-year-old Reyna Perez, investigators cited her for reckless endangerment, a class B misdemeanor, though she was not arrested. Hauer said the citation was because of the extended period of time between when the boy left and when the boy was reported missing, between 17 and 18 hours.
Investigators indicated that the boy left the home because he and his mother were arguing over privileges that she had apparently revoked, Hauer said. He became upset and left on his bike.
Hauer said a hearing was scheduled for Tuesday to determine whether the child would be placed back with Perez. The result of that hearing was not yet known.
