Pa. mom who spent 2 days in prison after suffocating baby lets barefoot 2-year-old wander into street while she slept
A Pennsylvania woman with a history of child neglect is facing new charges after a toddler she was caring for was discovered alone outside in cold weather.
Arissa Ward, 32, had been babysitting the young boy early Tuesday morning when he was found walking in the middle of a road in Windsor without shoes or socks as temperatures hovered around 37 degrees, according to a criminal complaint. A passerby noticed the child on West Main Street and alerted authorities, prompting a response from Pennsylvania State Police.
Officers searched the surrounding area and were directed by Children and Youth Services to check on Ward, who lived nearby and had prior issues involving child care. When troopers arrived at her home, she reportedly said she had just woken up and was unaware of the situation. When asked if a child was missing, she acknowledged that the toddler had been in her care but said he was not her own.
Ward told investigators that she and her children had been asleep and that she did not realize the toddler had left the house. She explained that the boy’s mother had dropped him off around 6:30 a.m. while she was still asleep.
According to the affidavit, the child’s mother said the front door was unlocked when she arrived. She went upstairs, woke Ward, and placed the toddler in bed with her before leaving for work. She said she was unsure whether a baby gate had been secured but confirmed she shut the front door behind her.
Text messages included in the complaint show Ward reaching out to the child’s mother around 9:19 a.m., asking what she was doing. About 30 minutes later, Ward sent another message asking where the child was. The mother attempted to call Ward multiple times but was unable to reach her. Police later informed the mother that her child had been found and was safe.
Ward was arrested and charged with felony child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person. She has since been released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on May 5.
The new charges come years after a previous case in which Ward pleaded no contest in connection with the death of her 2-month-old son in 2016. The infant died of asphyxiation after Ward fell asleep following drug and alcohol use. Despite sentencing guidelines recommending at least three months in jail, she served only two days after a judge imposed a reduced sentence, citing an opportunity for rehabilitation.
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