A 52-year-old grandmother in Minnesota has been taken into custody for reportedly becoming intoxicated and abandoning her infant grandchild in a roadside ditch during inclement weather conditions.
Anastasia E. Vaughn was arrested on Tuesday and faces a charge of child endangerment for allegedly putting a child in a potentially harmful or deadly situation, according to records.
In Minnesota, individuals convicted of child endangerment could face a maximum of 364 days in jail and fines reaching up to $3,000.
On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, an incident occurred in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, located approximately 175 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
A driver contacted the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office around 4:30 p.m. to request a welfare check on an infant. A man was driving on Cedar Park Loop close to Swan Lake when he encountered a woman, later identified as Vaughn, walking in a wooded area beside the road while carrying a baby.
Even with the rain pouring, strong winds blowing, and temperatures around 50 degrees, the driver noted that the woman was barefoot. The man stopped to talk to the woman, who allegedly said she and the child were “fine” before continuing on her way.
A little while later, the man stopped and reported seeing the woman fleeing from a roadside ditch, according to Fargo, North Dakota NBC affiliate KVLY. It seemed she was no longer expecting the baby.
A driver went to check and allegedly discovered the baby lying in the ditch. He is said to have picked up the baby and dialed 911.
Sheriff’s deputies reported finding Vaughn walking in the woods close to the ditch where the baby was abandoned. Deputies observed in a report that Vaughn seemed to stagger while walking, had a strong smell of alcohol, and was slurring her words. Her eyes were said to be bloodshot and watery.
Officials swiftly recognized Vaughn as the infant’s grandmother, although she seemed uncertain.
According to KVLY, deputies reported that Vaughn appeared disoriented and mentioned she was searching for a child, but struggled to respond to particular inquiries. “She claimed she couldn’t recall the events and when questioned about her alcohol consumption, she remained silent.”
Vaughn’s husband, the child’s grandfather, showed up at the scene and informed authorities that he and his wife resided close by. He also verified that Vaughn had consumed alcohol earlier that day. Vaughn allegedly underwent a breath test revealing her blood alcohol content at 0.229, almost three times the legal driving limit in Minnesota.
According to jail records, Vaughn is currently held at the Otter Tail County Jail with a bond set at $10,000 as of Thursday.