Arizona man accused of abandoning barefoot daughter, 10, in desert

A northwest Arizona man was jailed after allegedly driving his 10-year-old daughter into the desert and abandoning her barefoot.

The Mohave County sheriff’s office said 28-year-old Christopher Watson of North Kingman came home from his graveyard shift on the morning of July 22 and began arguing with his daughter. He later told deputies that he took the girl for a ride to calm her down but the argument escalated.

“He admitted to dropping his daughter off in the desert just north of McVicar Avenue and Norrie Drive without any water or shoes,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Trish Carter said in a news release. She said he claimed that he drove home and returned some 15 minutes later, but was unable to find his daughter.

Police were called about 9 a.m. after a woman walking her dog encountered the barefoot girl walking on hot asphalt in 91-degree weather.

“The victim reported that her dad drove her out to the desert and forced her out of the vehicle,” Carter said. “The victim further reported that she hit her head when she reached for the door handle and her dad sped away.”

His daughter also told deputies her father was responsible for a bite mark on one of her hands.

Carter said deputies located Watson at his home and that he smelled of alcohol when he was awakened from a nap at about 11 a.m.

The girl was treated at Kingman Regional Medical Center for a headache and sore neck and released. Department of Child Safety officials took custody of the girl and her 9-year-old brother.

Watson was arrested, but it was not clear Friday if any charges had been filed against him.