By Jeremy Z. Young

Knoxville Police and the Department of Children’s Services are investigating a family after a 3-year-old girl was found wandering near a busy intersection July 16.

A concerned motorist stopped to rescue the child just before noon. The driver told police that the girl was getting ready to step into busy traffic on  Cherry Street.

The girl was found near the intersection of Cherry and Cecil Ave, roughly two blocks from her 2400 Brown Ave. home, a little more than 0.2 miles away. She told officers she followed her kitten away from the home.

Officers found the girl’s home after canvassing the neighborhood.

The toddler was taken to the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to be examined for unknown injuries.

Because of the injuries and conditions found at the girl’s home, the Department of Children’s Services were called in to investigate.

No charges have been filed, but DCS officials are determining whether or not the child will be returned to her home, pending release from the hospital.

Very little information has been released so far, but KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk said the girl’s mother was home, but didn’t realize her child had disappeared.