Woman arrested after sick child found crawling on hotel balcony

ST. GEORGE – A 36-year-old St. George woman was arrested Friday for child abuse after her 1-year-old child was found crawling on a second story balcony and in need of medical attention, while the woman lay intoxicated and passed out on a hotel room floor.

At approximately 10:15 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to an overdose call at the Rodeway Inn Red Hills hotel located at 999 E. Red Hills Parkway in St. George, according to a probable cause statement written by St. George Police Officer Matthew Sherman in support of the arrest.

The reporting party said they found a baby wandering around the hotel who appeared to be sick and in need of an ambulance, Sherman said in the statement.

The 1-year-old girl was found by other Rodeway Inn guests, crawling on the second story balcony of the hotel,” Police Sgt. Spencer Holmes confirmed Sunday. “They said she was vomiting and appeared to be sick.”

Upon arriving on scene, officers found the door to a hotel room open with an unresponsive woman lying on the ground just inside the doorway.

“There was a large glass bottle of an alcoholic beverage, almost completely consumed, on the table next to where (the woman) was laying,” Sherman wrote in the statement. “(The woman) was breathing, but not responding to my voice commands.”

Paramedics arrived on scene to check on the woman and the baby.

The paramedics determined that both the baby and the woman were in need of further medical assistance and they were both transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George.

“While at the hospital,” Sherman said, “the responding Gold Cross paramedics informed me that (the 1-year-old girl) showed signs of hypothermia and dehydration.”

Due to the circumstances of the incident, Sherman said the Division of Child and Family Services was contacted. DCFS representatives arrived at the hospital and took custody of the 1-year-old.

After receiving medical clearance at the hospital, the woman was arrested and transported to the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

She was charged with a third-degree felony for abuse or neglect of a disabled child, and a class C misdemeanor for intoxication.

“Due to (the woman’s) intoxicated state, (the 1-year-old) left the motel room without supervision. It is unknown at this time how long (the 1-year-old) was wandering on the second story balcony area of the motel. Paramedics said (the 1-year-old) showed signs of hypothermia and dehydration, which constitute ‘serious physical injury.’

The woman’s bail pending trial stands at $5,220. She is scheduled to make her initial court appearance Monday afternoon.

“This was a very hazardous situation for the baby and we were lucky she was found by other guests and she received immediate medical care,” Holmes said. “This could have been worse had it not been for those guests who stepped in to help with the small child and called 911.”

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Ed. Note: The name of the woman has been withheld from the story to protect the identity of the child.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

 

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26 Comments

  • Tm2282 April 19, 2015 at 5:28 pm

    With the Washington County bookings page it’s not hard to put 2 and 2 together. This is a sad story. Glad the child is OK.

  • Tm2282 April 19, 2015 at 5:28 pm

    With the Washington County bookings page it’s not hard to put 2 and 2 together.

    • Free Parking April 19, 2015 at 9:16 pm

      That’s okay we will just read one of your posts

  • Tm2282 April 19, 2015 at 5:29 pm

    Oops double post

  • Simone April 19, 2015 at 5:40 pm

    WHAT’S THIS? A womans fundraiser plans were thwarted by some decent cops and caring visitors, you say? That’s just too bad. 😉

  • Free Parking April 19, 2015 at 7:09 pm

    Fundraiser.!

  • ladybugavenger April 19, 2015 at 8:03 pm

    Perhaps, if the child had not been on the balcony, no one would have them alive.

    • Free Parking April 20, 2015 at 12:30 am

      Just like a drug addict lack of personal responsibility

      • ladybugavenger April 20, 2015 at 12:43 pm

        Your momma must have taught you nothing about personal responsibily, free parking….with the way you post on here, dont think you wont be held accountable for what you say……at least this women is still in jail today!

        • Free Parking April 20, 2015 at 3:48 pm

          Aww you poor thing running out of things to say. Go see a therapist

        • Free Parking April 20, 2015 at 3:53 pm

          I hope this woman isn’t a Mexican because I’m sure you’re going to blame for your sons drug problem to bad you didn’t teach your son about personal responsibility. but then what do expect from inept parenting

          • ladybugavenger April 20, 2015 at 5:28 pm

            Bless your heart

          • ladybugavenger April 20, 2015 at 5:37 pm

            My own son doesn’t blame me for his drug problem. He carries full responsibility for it. But maybe this lady can use your ,”its my parent fault!” defense.

          • ladybugavenger April 20, 2015 at 5:41 pm

            My son loves me :)…he may have hated me when he was on meth because I’m against meth, but that’s normal. He doesn’t blame me, I don’t know why you do?

          • ladybugavenger April 20, 2015 at 7:02 pm

            That makes me a pretty good parent, my children don’t blame me for any of their bad choices 😉 personal responsibily- checkmate

    • Free Parking April 23, 2015 at 9:15 am

      Perhaps if her parents raised her properly she wouldn’t of become some stupid meth head boozer and let the baby alone

  • Free Parking April 19, 2015 at 9:21 pm

    Good idea not to mention the name….

  • Free Parking April 19, 2015 at 9:52 pm

    But if she is an alcoholic and that is considered a social disease that means that ever single one of you are to blame for her drinking problem. because it is societies responsibility to make sure she made the right choices

  • beentheredonethat April 20, 2015 at 6:53 am

    Parents not watching their children. Here? Come on!

  • sagemoon April 20, 2015 at 9:18 am

    Scum bag.

  • sagemoon April 20, 2015 at 1:11 pm

    People show up at Juvenile Court for animal abuse cases. Why do people not show up at Juvenile Court on child abuse cases? I believe they are open to the public. Has STG News thought about attending these woman’s hearings to report on the follow up of the well being of the poor kid and her punishment?

    • fun bag April 20, 2015 at 2:23 pm

      Best not to think too much about it. Don’t want you to brain damage yourself. Best to stick to “dang tweeker” style comments no?

      • sagemoon April 20, 2015 at 3:01 pm

        The box says “Enter your comment here…” so I make a comment. If all I have to say is “dang tweeker,” then by golly, that’s all I’ve got to say about that! But seriously, why doesn’t the public attend child abuse hearings? Why doesn’t the news report on what kind of punishments parents are getting in District and Juvenile Court? I worry people WANT to be horrified, spew their curses, and then move on with their lives. Child abuse is just too ugly to think about. Leave it to someone else to deal with…right?

    • ladybugavenger April 20, 2015 at 3:18 pm

      Juvenile court is not open to public because they are juveniles.

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