A 5-Year-Old Child Found Alone on the Side of The Road at 4 in the Morning
| by Travis Uresk | June 23rd 2026 |
Vernal, Utah (6/22/26)—At around 4 am, authorities received a call regarding a five-year-old child found alone along 725 South.
The caller indicated they first noticed the child around 8 pm on 06/21/2026 and again at 4 am on 6/22/26.
Officers arrived to find the child in the street. When they approached, the child ran behind some parked cars.
Noticing the front door of the residence was wide open, Officer White knocked and identified themselves multiple times. Eventually, an elderly man appeared, and the officers informed him about the child.
The elderly man appeared confused, admitting he did not know the child’s name or who was responsible for his care. He mentioned that the mother had left, and he had no contact details for her.
Another man present also seemed puzzled and claimed he didn’t know the mother or how to reach her. He stated she had only been staying there for a day.
It was clear he lacked basic information about the child and was likely trying to cover for someone, avoiding a confrontation with that person. It came to light that there were three children in the home, two of whom belonged to 37-year-old Valita Ann Enriquez.
Eventually, the third man stepped outside and seemed confused as well. He stated he barely knew Valita, describing her as merely an acquaintance, and said she had gone to Whiterocks and should return soon. He further admitted he was unaware that Valita had left or how long she had been gone.
At around 6 am, Valita returned home to find police waiting. Officer Monsen informed her that her child had been seen alone in the street at 8 pm and 4 am, and that no one at the residence was aware of the child's whereabouts.
Valita was argumentative, stating that they were outside with the child around 8 pm. Officer Monsen told her that it was not true. Valita was asked again who she left her children with. She stated a "friend" again. She had to be asked for the name of the "friend". She hesitated for a while but finally stated that it was the third man who said, "she is only an acquaintance," and that he is hesitant to interact with law enforcement.
Valita described them as good friends and mentioned she had been living with them for about a week. The officer pointed out inconsistencies in her explanations and noted that the individuals she relied on for childcare were untrustworthy and had no means to contact her in an emergency. Valita maintained they could reach her via Facebook Messenger.
The Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) was alerted about the situation. It was decided to remove the children from the home due to a lack of responsible supervision and the fact that the five-year-old had been outside alone at 4 am in the middle of the road. Initially, they were unable to reach Valita, but later informed DCFS when she returned home. DCFS arrived and took custody of the children.
Deputy Monsen determined there was enough evidence to arrest Valita for reckless child abuse. She was arrested and taken to Uintah County Jail.
Traffic and Criminal Report
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