A southeast Minnesota man is facing drug and child endangerment charges after police say his 4-year-old daughter, wearing a soiled diaper, was found wandering around the Eagan hotel where they were staying.

When hotel staff located the child's father, he was passed out near drug paraphernalia with his 1-year-old son sleeping on the floor, according to charging documents.

Alexander Michael John, 39, of Elgin, Minn., was charged Wednesday with 5th-degree drug possession, a felony, as well as child endangerment and child neglect, both gross misdemeanors.

According to the criminal complaint:

A hotel worker watching video surveillance at Eagan's Extended Stay Hotel spotted a 4-year-old girl wandering around the lobby crying Monday around 1:40 a.m. The child was attempting to crawl over the front desk when the worker picked her up and went looking for her parents.

Another guest helped the employee find the girl's father. The worker entered his room, where John was sleeping on a bed and the 1-year-old boy lay asleep on top of a blanket on the floor.

The employee flagged down an Eagan police officer on patrol, who then shook the man awake. Two pipes and traces of methamphetamine were found in plain sight, police said. He also had $2,526 in cash in his pants pocket.

John confirmed the children were his, but he was unable to provide the officer with their full names.

Both children have since been placed in foster care. John was booked into the Dakota County jail.

Liz Sawyer • 612-673-4648