Children Found Home Alone While Mom Drinking at Bar

By Tim Schmidt, Record Editor
Posted 11/7/19

A Warrenton woman is facing child endangerment charges after four of her children — all under the age of 5 — were left unsupervised while she was drinking at a bar. Warrenton police discovered …

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Children Found Home Alone While Mom Drinking at Bar

Posted

A Warrenton woman is facing child endangerment charges after four of her children — all under the age of 5 — were left unsupervised while she was drinking at a bar. Warrenton police discovered the children were left home alone and living in filthy conditions after one of the kids was found walking on Highway 47 at the intersection of Booneslick Road July 5 at 9:40 p.m., Police Chief Greg Houdyshell said. When a witness told police she believed the child lived at a residence in the 300 block of South Highway 47, officers then found three more children at the home. During the investigation, officers observed two of the children not wearing any clothes and said the residence was littered with trash. Rotten food was located in the refrigerator and expired food was covered in flies on the table. Human feces also were located in a upstairs toilet that was no longer functioning, police said. Houdyshell said the responding officer described a nauseating smell throughout the entire home. The mother, identified as Tammy Jean Blevins, 38, was then found drinking at Mad Dog's Sportsmans Bar on Main Street and arrested, police said. Blevins has been charged with two felony counts for second-degree child endangerment and possession of a controlled substance. She remains housed in the Warren County Jail. Her bond has been set at $10,000. The children have been placed in foster care, Houdyshell said. The age of the children ranged from 21 months to 5. According to the probable cause statement, the oldest child told police he was in charge of watching his three younger siblings. Police said no parent or guardian was located at the residence. Blevins told police she was aware her children were left unsupervised, the probable cause statement alleges. After being taken into custody, police found a substance that tested positive for crack cocaine in Blevins' purse. The home had caught the attention of residents and city officials for the numerous yard sales held there and the large number of items stored on the front porch. The home remains habitable, Houdyshell said, since it's the city's stance to not take any action if water and electricity are in working order. However, he said that changes would have to be made before the children would be allowed to return.


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