Authorities Charge Woman With Leaving Toddler Alone

Authorities have charged a Washington area woman accused of leaving her toddler home alone while she went out drinking.

A felony complaint issued last Thursday charges Amber M. Noelker, 23, with endangering the welfare of a child. A $10,000 bond was set in the case.

Franklin County deputies arrested and booked the woman after responding to a disturbance call about 2 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at an apartment complex off of Julie Lane, south of Washington.

Deputies said the woman and a man, who lives in a separate apartment, had been arguing.

During questioning, deputies learned that the two had been drinking at a bar in Washington when an argument broke out. The argument continued at the apartment complex where the woman refused to leave the man’s apartment, according to the report.

The man told deputies that he repeatedly tried to get Noelker to leave but she refused. At one point he said he got her to step outside, then he closed and locked the door.

The woman then began banging on the apartment door and yelling, which prompted complaints from neighbors.

Deputies then learned that the woman’s 2-year-old daughter was alone in her apartment. The suspect said the child had been left alone for approximately one hour.

The man, however, stated that the child was left in the apartment while they went to the bar and that they were gone about four hours, the sheriff reported.

He told deputies that the two had left about 10:30 p.m. and returned to the apartment complex about 2 a.m.

Deputies entered the apartment and found the child asleep and unharmed. The girl was released to the custody of a relative.