A witness moved the occupied car seat from a traffic lane before police located and arrested the child’s alleged caregiver.
ST. LOUIS — A 36-year-old man has been charged after police said he left an infant strapped in a car seat in a north St. Louis traffic lane and later fled from officers in a vehicle.
St. Louis prosecutors charged Christopher Sean Pearson with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and resisting arrest by fleeing. The charges were filed July 16, one day after the infant was found near Goodfellow and Natural Bridge avenues, according to police and court documents cited by local news organizations.
Witnesses told investigators they saw the driver of a blue Tesla place the car seat in a driving lane on Goodfellow Avenue before leaving the area. One witness approached the seat believing it was empty and moved it out of the road, police said. The witness then realized an infant was strapped inside.
Authorities have not publicly released the child’s name, exact age or medical condition. Available reports also do not say how long the infant remained in the roadway, whether traffic passed close to the seat or whether the child required hospital treatment.
The baby’s mother told police that Pearson had been responsible for watching the child, according to the court documents. Investigators said she called Pearson and asked where the infant was. Pearson allegedly told her that he had left the child outside a police station, but officers said the baby was found in the roadway instead.
Police have not announced a suspected motive or explained why the infant was allegedly left in the street. The criminal charges describe accusations against Pearson and do not establish guilt. Prosecutors must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt for him to be convicted.
Officers later encountered Pearson driving near North Florissant Avenue and Warren Street, investigators said. Police alleged that Pearson accelerated after seeing a marked patrol vehicle and nearly struck other motorists while fleeing.
The pursuit continued until Pearson entered a dead-end street, according to the court documents. Police said he drove over a curb and continued through fences, a residential yard and another sidewalk before the vehicle stopped. No injuries related to the pursuit were reported in the available accounts.
Investigators also alleged that Pearson threw a firearm from the vehicle during the pursuit. Officers said they recovered that weapon and found two additional firearms inside the car. Available reports did not indicate that separate weapons charges had been filed.
Pearson was being held without bond at the St. Louis City Justice Center following his arrest. An initial court appearance had not been scheduled when the latest local report was published, and authorities had released no additional information about the infant’s condition.
Author note: Last updated July 18, 2026.