A Warren County mother and grandmother are facing felony child abuse and endangerment charges for allegedly allowing a minor in their care to use methamphetamine, according to court documents filed this week.
Chelzie L. Weir and Brandi D. Niswonger, of rural Wright City, were each charged Wednesday, July 15, with abuse or neglect of a child and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk, both felonies. The charges were filed after sheriff’s deputies responded to their home in the 11900 block of Cedar Tree Lane that same day while searching for a wanted fugitive, according to a probable cause statement.
Deputies found the house “in complete squalor with black mold, dog feces and urine all over the floor in every room, fleas, dangerous flooring that appeared to be rotting, inoperable plumbing, extremely limited food and evidence of narcotics use,” according to the statement.
Deputies also located a child — Weir’s son and Niswonger’s grandson — in possession of suspected methamphetamine paraphernalia, which later field-tested positive for the presence of the drug. The boy, whose age is not mentioned in the statement, also allegedly showed signs of being under the influence of drugs, and a later urine analysis tested positive for methamphetamine.
Weir and Niswonger allegedly admitted they had known the juvenile was using methamphetamine for an extended period and never contacted law enforcement or tried to take the drugs away from him. Weir allegedly admitted she had known for more than a year, saying “he got a taste for it,” so she assumed rehabilitation was impossible.
Weir and Niswonger are being held without bond. No defense attorney for either woman was listed in online court records as of Friday. Both have their next court appearance scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, at 1 p.m. in Warren County Circuit Court.
