Two Young Girls Found Along Missouri Road; Man Charged

An eastern Missouri man is facing child-endangerment charges after two young girls were found wandering alone on a dirt road.

Charges were filed Monday against 22-year-old Dustin Burch of Lonedell, a small town in Franklin County. He was jailed on $15,000 bond and did not have a listed attorney.

Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke told the Washington Missourian that Burch was smoking marijuana and fell asleep while watching the girls. The sheriff's office says one child was believed to be 2 years old or younger, and the other no older than 4.

Toelke's office was called about 6:15 p.m. Monday after someone saw the girls walking along a dirt road. Deputies found the girls were unharmed, but wearing soiled diapers. Neither was able to say where they lived.