FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) – A 52-year-old woman from Fergus Falls, Minnesota has been charged with child endangerment after her arrest on Tuesday afternoon near Swan Lake. The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m.
According to a complaint filed in Otter Tail County District Court, deputies responded for a welfare check following a report of a driver who saw the woman carrying an infant without shoes. It was reported that it was about 50 degrees and windy with rain.
The driver stopped and observed the woman walking in the ditch without the child. He then found the infant on the ground in the ditch and picked up the child, calling law enforcement. Anastasia Vaughn, the grandmother of the child, was subsequently located stumbling in the woods. She had bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech, and a strong odor of alcohol.
Vaughn’s husband arrived at the scene and confirmed that she had been drinking earlier in the day while caring for their two grandchildren. A preliminary breath test revealed an alcohol concentration level of .229.
As a result, Vaughn was arrested and charged with child endangerment, which is a gross misdemeanor offense carrying a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail or a $3,000 fine.
Chris Harper was reporting for trfnews.i234.me