And that car swerved quickly over to the shoulder, stopped, pulled his daughter out of his vehicle, set the daughter on the ground, and was going to drive away. >> Frustrated about what? >> The struggles of parenting. >> Horrified bystanders watch as a 4-year-old girl is left on the shoulder of a busy freeway near speeding traffic. They rush to intervene only to discover the person who left her there is her own father. >> He's like, I was just trying to scare her, but I am in shock. Like, I'm just in shock. >> The following is based on official police records, and the footage has never been seen before until now. Please note that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. On August 23rd, 2025, dispatchers in Pierce County, Washington, receive a call from a woman on the freeway. Hi there. We're just right off of 512 um right after it changes from 161 into Olive. >> Okay. >> And a gentleman pulled over to the side of the road and was going to leave his child >> on the side of the road, but there are several cars who pulled over and have him here, not letting him leave. Conveniently, a Washington state trooper passes the group of bystanders and stops to investigate after one of them flags him down. >> What's going on? >> We were driving down the road and that car swerved quickly over to the shoulder, stopped, pulled his daughter out of his vehicle, set the daughter on the ground, and was going to drive away. >> Okay. And the only reason you didn't drive away was >> Did you say what for? >> What did you say? Why? >> Want to tell me what's going on? >> Just a rough moment. Single parenting. I'm trying to go to the store with my daughter and she's screaming and it's hard to focus on the road. So, I have to pull over. >> Okay. You pulled over and did what? I took her out of the vehicle so I could talk to her and I said, "I know it's not the best parenting time." I said, "I'm going to leave you here if you continue not to listen to me." She can't change her. Uh, my mom just left her in the military a couple days ago, so it's been >> The girl, who is just 4 years old, is now in her booster seat and sitting in the dad's vehicle. But according to one witness, she was seen crying and walking along the freeway where the posted speed limit is 60 m hour. >> Where you guys coming from? some movies and hunter. >> So, what was their planning? You were just going to leave her here on the shoulder. >> I pulled about as far as that guy's car and I stopped. >> I was not going to leave her here. I just told her I was going to get in the truck. >> Do you have your ID on you? >> Yes. >> He hands over his driver's license and military ID, identifying MS 34year-old Morgan Edward Barnes. However, Morgan's claim that he wasn't going to leave his four-year-old daughter doesn't line up with witness accounts. >> So, why are all these people saying that you were trying to drive off and leave your daughter here? >> It just happened. >> I got in the truck. I said, I'm going to leave if you don't calm down and we get on the same page so we can go to the store. >> Just wanted to go home instead of grabbing groceries for for drove from there to here. When I got out and I started walking, there was already people over. >> Was she yelling? Was she mrying things? What was she getting? What was what was >> screaming? And also, I had a previous experience when I was younger. My buddy's My buddy's dad's wife died because they were arguing on the car. Kids screaming. >> I'm nervous. >> Things happen in the car and I get distracted by Have you had anything to drink today? >> Negative. >> No. Okay. >> I'm not a drinker. All right. >> The trooper heads over to the vehicle to check on the 4-year-old girl. >> Tell me what happened today. >> Nothing. Were you getting honory with your dad? Yeah. You get a little bit angry with you. Did you go to the movies? Yeah. What movie did you go see? Was it good? Yeah. >> Do you have any owies anywhere? >> Are you hurt anywhere? >> Okay. >> Give me a minute. All right. >> The trooper then returns to speak with the witnesses, explaining what he's gathered from the situation. >> So, sounds to me like he's just had it to his wits end with her. apparently, whatever that might mean. Um, so he was trying to teach her a lesson apparently. Um, he said he wasn't going to drive off. He said he was just going to drive forward a little bit. I'm just telling you what he said. I wasn't here. >> Well, he's fine. He wasn't just proving the point. He was like taking off like the tires were just wheeling and taking off. So, >> three cars pulled off the highway, man. >> I mean, >> how far away did he get from from her? >> How did Why did he stop? Were you scanning? I honestly think he stopped because three cars pull over. >> How far away from her did he get though when he was driving? >> 20 yards >> about that. Yeah. >> And she's just walking around like >> she's on the side of the freeway. I mean, he takes her he takes her out. >> He ushers her around and then he just left >> and he set her right next to the highway. >> Given the conflicting accounts, the trooper heads over to his cruiser to contact his supervisor and make a decision on where to go from here. Meanwhile, backup arrives and gets more details from Morgan. What's going on? I I I showed a blade. So what? >> I just need a second. Frustrated >> about what? >> The struggles of parenting. >> Morgan explains the four-year-old's mother is currently on deployment with the US Army reserves. >> How long has she been gone? >> Since February. >> Okay. She doesn't come back till March. >> It's just just one kid or I guess you have five. Five between the two of us. We got nine, but five of them were in the house. >> Okay. Just you taking care of all five kids, huh? >> Yeah. Get it. It's rough. Meanwhile, the trooper who first responded to the scene gets in contact with the supervisor and explains the situation. >> And when I'm talking to him, he's not impaired or anything. He said they just came from the movies. She confirmed it. She doesn't have any injuries or anything on her. >> Um he said that his wife's been just got deployed to the military. He's a single parent at the moment. Things are tough. Um and she was screaming and yelling and he was just trying to like punish her. I guess all these these these people here are all angry angry like wanting to see something done right now. Um he is he has a military ID. I don't know if he's still in the military or not. >> Says veteran on his on his Arizona driver's license. >> Are you prior military? >> Yeah. >> What was your MLS? >> 12 November. >> Oh, okay. Also 12 Bravo. >> Yeah. Hung out with those guys a lot. Yeah, >> they just medically medically discharged me a few weeks ago. >> Thanks. >> How's that treating you? >> Take it day by day. >> I got you. >> As the trooper continues speaking with his supervisor, he receives instructions regarding Morgan and his four-year-old daughter. >> I want to ask him if their family is now. >> Okay. We're really good with her. Um, and he's he's been on. >> As the girl's mother is active duty military, the supervisor also asks him to get her name and rank so he can contact the Provos Marshall's Office, the military's onbase law enforcement authority. >> Yeah. >> Why is that? >> Okay. Are you active? >> No, he he just got out. >> Just got out. Your wife is active though, you said. Correct. >> Yeah. What unit is she? Is she here Lewis? >> Uh, yes. >> What's her name? >> I don't want to disclose that information. I apologize. >> If you don't really have a choice right now, >> correct? >> Do you have any family in the area? >> Unfortunately, I don't. >> You don't? >> All right. You can turn off. Put your hands behind your back. We'll be right. Alice, can you shoot over? >> Yeah, let's go over here. >> So, if you don't want to give me any information for the military, I can contact them to come pick up a daughter that way child protection services. You're under arrest right now for child abandonment. >> Morgan is led away in handcuffs while two witnesses return to his vehicle and remain with the four-year-old girl so she isn't left on her own. >> So, like I said, you're under arrest for a child and abandonment. Okay. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right at this time to an attorney. Anything you say can and will be used against anor law. Do you understand your rights? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Can you slide on in for me? >> Can you slide on in for me? >> Yes, sir. Uh, sorry. I'm I'm sorry. >> I'm not closing the door yet, but I need you in the car. >> Can I Can I talk to you real quick? Can you put >> I know this sounds ridiculous. >> I have severe claustrophobia from military. I'm begging you just to put my hands in front of me. >> I can't do that. >> Oh, hard. No, I could do that. >> I'm not even closing the door yet. I need you in the car so I can talk to you. Okay. >> Morgan is asked again if there's anyone who can pick up his daughter. And he suggests a neighbor. He then asks the trooper to retrieve his phone from the vehicle. And that's when the trooper notices a photo of the girl's mother tucked inside Morgan's wallet. >> Hey, she looks real familiar. I think I know her. >> Okay. Well, that would be great because then we if we could figure out where um we could just we could get her to the post. >> Okay. something. That's what Jim was telling me to do. >> Let me I mean, I could try to call her. I don't know if she'll pick up cuz they're >> You have her number? >> Yeah, let me try to call her. >> He said she just got deployed. >> Well, they're they're in I know where they're at. They're in Texas if they're still there. >> Morgan is asked one more time to give his wife's name and he finally provides the information. >> What is your wife's name? >> Alyssa. What? >> Alyssa. >> Okay. What does she do in the army? case. She's a four or five babysitter. I'm not trying to make a joke. She's a CSM. >> CSM. CS. Is that what you said? CSM. >> Thank you. >> Trooper Anne, who recognized the girl's mother by her photo, is able to get her on the line and explain the situation. >> Your husband has been arrested. Um, and it's for child abandonment. Correct. We had a third party witness saying that your husband was trying to abandon her on the side of the highway. Obviously stressed out and I taking care of the kids and stuff. I don't I don't know if if he has prior mental history history or anything like that, but but yeah, that's she states that she'll contact her 25-year-old daughter, the young girl's stepsister, to come pick her up. But first, she asked to speak to her four-year-old to make sure she's okay. >> Look at it's nice. >> I got mom on the phone and she wants to talk to you. >> You okay, girl? >> Yeah, it's mom. >> Hi, mama. >> Hi, sweet girl. How's it going? >> Are you okay? >> Yeah. A baby, you're going to go with the police for a little bit and Pippy's gonna come pick you up. Okay. >> Hey, are you okay? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Mommy loves you. Okay. >> Okay. Hey, it's okay. You're safe. Okay. >> You must be mommy. >> I miss you too, sweet girl. Please relax. Okay. Hey, it's okay. It's okay. These are mommy's friends. They're going to take care of you, okay? >> Yeah, I know your mom really well, okay? I'll take care of you. I promise. Okay. >> Okay. >> She's then given the opportunity to speak with her husband. Afterward, she shares more insights with trooper on. >> So, yeah, we've been we've been going through it with his ex. We just found out that his other daughter isn't his. Ah, that's a whole Wait, real quick. Real quick. Just letting you know, are you still being audio recorded? >> I'm totally okay with >> Okay, just let you know. >> It's just Yeah. No, I'm still It's so outside his character to lose it like that. But been really bad. She's got ADHD. She's all over the damn place. >> Okay. >> And so he's trying to spend the night to go do something she likes and she's been throwing these fits because they just left here. >> We just got a lot going on. >> Yeah. for him to just be like, "No, I'm just going to leave you like on the side of I was just trying to scare her, but I am in shock." Like, I'm just in shock. I would never imagine that that would be the case. >> The four-year-old steps sister is contacted, but the 25-year-old is nearly an hour away from their location. Trooper an volunteers to take the child to a more safe location to meet with her. >> I appreciate you. >> Does she get a ride with you? >> No. >> Okay. Thank you. >> She has a an itchy stone that's for stress. >> Okay. >> And then a doc stickers. >> Perfect. Now we'll bring everything. >> Okay. Oh, I'll take your garbage. >> Okay. Bye, honey. Bye, honey. See you later. >> After securing her car seat in his cruiser, the two head out, and the four-year-old comments on what happened between her and her father. >> My dad thinks that I keep doing that. My dad thinks about that and my dad and I was not being rude. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> What does D E R spell? >> D E R. >> Yeah. >> Dur. >> I just spelled D. Oh my gosh, that is crazy. >> By contrast, her father's ride to jail is nothing but silent. Witnesses who remained on scene until both the four-year-old girl and her father were gone provided written statements and were sent on their way. The trooper noted in his report, "Had it not been for the prompt action of the witnesses, the child could have been seriously injured or abducted. Fortunately, she suffered no harm." >> Do you like my chart? It has rainies on it. >> Do you like that song? >> Yeah. >> K-pop hunters. >> Yeah. Let me play it for you. >> Yeah. The young girl sings along to the music as they park at a Denny's restaurant to wait for her stepsister, who eventually arrives and safely collects the 4-year-old girl. According to court documents, 34year-old Morgan Edward Barnes was charged with abandonment of a dependent person in the second degree. 2 days after his arrest, he was released on his own recgnizance and ordered no contact with his daughter. He entered a plea of not guilty and his case is ongoing. If you'd like to see select new videos early and help us keep uncovering case files that rarely come to light, you'll find extra footage and unseen details on our Patreon. Channel memberships here on YouTube also include early access to select new