Father accused of panhandling with baby

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - "Single parent, can you please help?"

Virginia Beach police have charged a father discovered holding a sign with this plea.

32-year-old Jared Haddock is in jail on no bond.

Police spokesperson Margie Long said that on Wednesday afternoon Haddock was standing at the First Colonial exit near I-264 begging, with his baby. Officers called to the scene just before 6 p.m. arrested Haddock and charged him with child endangerment and begging.

Several people emailed WAVY.com to report they saw a man on the side of the road, with the sign and his baby.

Haddock's girlfriend, and mother of the child, spoke to WAVY.com Thursday evening.

"What he was doing was for a good reason," she said. "Just the way he went about it was wrong."

She says Haddock does not have a job and was on the I-264 exit because they need rent money.

"The baby has food," she said. "I don't know what he was thinking. I guess all we really needed was rent."

The baby, who police say is 7 months old, was turned over to the child's mother. Police say she was at work when the incident happened. Investigators said the family was not in dire straights, as the sign portrayed.

"He is an excellent boyfriend and a great dad," Haddock's girlfriend said. "Sometimes he doesn't think."

WAVY News 10 is closely following this story. Look for updates on air and online.