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Mom Tries to Leave Toddler With Police, Gets Arrested

Meghan - posted on 09/15/2010 ( 18 moms have responded )

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Do you think she should be charged with child endangerment for trying to leave her son with police?

A woman in Chicago tried to leave her 3-year-old son at a police station because she didn't want him anymore. Tierra Aldridge, 24, told officers if they didn't take him, she'd leave him on a curb.

"Maybe he'll get killed or raped or something,"she told them before trying to leave.

Her first mistake (at least as far as this specific incident goes) -- threatening police officers.

The second was walking into a police station with drugs in her possession.

Officers, who followed the woman out of the station, found them and arrested her. She was charged with "endangering the life of a child and possession of a controlled substance".

I get the drug charges, but endangering the life of a child? It seems to me that she was trying to do at least something right.

While she certainly could have gone about it in a different way, and an officer did offer to help her contact Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, at least she tried to hlep her son instead of countless other things desperate parents do to their children.

I hate the message this case sends to other mothers who may be in a place as dark as the one in which Aldridge clearly was. I would hate to think any child was neglected and abused because a mother feared the repercussions of getting help.
Illinois does have a Safe Haven law, but it only allows for children who are 30 days or younger to be left at a hospital,emergency medical facility, staffed fire station or police station.

Only 30 days?

I know there are agencies designed to help parents in these situations and rules to be followed, but when you're so desperate that isn't always a reasonable or easy option. And I don't think anyone should be punished criminally for trying to come up with an option -- any option -- that removes a child from a harmful situation.

Do you think she should be charged with child endangerment for trying to leave her son with police?

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18 Comments

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Rebecca - posted on 08/23/2011

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well I guess going to jail is one way to have the child put into care of someone else

Jere - posted on 08/23/2011

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There isn't any good thing to be said about a mother abandoning her child; however, this is one reason why abortion shouldn't be illegal.

Amber - posted on 09/18/2010

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I went and read some more about this case. The police told her that they are not allowed to physically take him. They are only allowed to take children under 30 days old, otherwise the Department of Children and families must take over.
They tried to help her contact The Department of Children and Family. She refused any help and left the station. They followed her and tried to get her to wait for the proper people to take him. It was after all of this that the drugs were found.
If she had just waited the couple of minutes it would have taken for the police to call the people for her, the issue would have been resolved with no arrest made. It was only after she threatened them that she got in trouble. So, it's pretty much her fault.
The child is now safely with his grandmother.

Bridget - posted on 09/18/2010

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totally agree. It takes a village right?

Felicia - posted on 09/18/2010

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I agree that she was at least making an attempt, but said she'd leave him on a curb and had him with her while she was in possession of drugs. I definitely think that having a child with you while you have drugs is endangering their well being.

Dawn - posted on 09/17/2010

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Yes, it is great that she thought about dropping him off somewhere safe, but really unless we start opening safe havens for children of all ages, then no we can't have anyone who doesn't want their child(ren) dropping them off at the police stations. The child must have been put into custody of child services anyways if they arrested her. I guess I don't have a better answer because I really don't understand how anyone could want to just get rid of the kid like they were returning a purchase to Walmart. I don't think these people should be let go scott-free.....you didn't want to have a child you shouldn't have gotten pregnant or you should have considered adoption long ago....if you just allow them to give up their children with no repercussion, what message does that send????

Brie - posted on 09/17/2010

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If it was endangerment because she was going to leave him at the police station then no she shouldn't get in trouble but if the endangerment had to do with the drugs and things of that nature then yes... She should definately get in trouble for the drugs but I think I would have to know the basis for child endangerment in order to say that she should get into trouble for it and I do commend her for at least realizing that she wasn't a fit mother

Caitlin - posted on 09/16/2010

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It;s sad that she is being punished for doing the right thing. Much better for the kid that he is in a safe place where he will be cared for. Arresting her for the drugs? Unless she had her pockets stuffed with drugs with the intent to distribute, then let the poor woman go, try to refer her to help, but don't punish the poor woman. I can't even imagine being that desperate, but at least the boy is safe.

Lyndsay - posted on 09/16/2010

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I don't think she should be charged with child endangerment. Sure, charge her for the drugs... BUT, she was trying to leave her son in a safe place! She could've been like these other retards out in the world who drop their kids in garbage cans and walk away.

Montana - posted on 09/16/2010

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here in MI I dont think you get in trouble for leaving the kid at the police station. Sounds like she did the right thing. If she doesnt want him, someone will and thats what he really deserves.

Leah - posted on 09/16/2010

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I can kind of see both sides of this and have to wonder if there is more to the story than we're being told. Maybe they tried to get her to stay and talk to someone from social services and she refused, so they had to arrest her just to get her to speak to someone. If I was that police officer, I wouldn't want her to leave without at least getting her identifcation so if the kid does go into the system, at least he can know who she was when he grows up. Maybe they shouldn't have charged her with child endangerment, because that is obviously backwards, but maybe just with the drug possesion.

As I sit cuddling with my 3 year old on the couch while typing this, I can't imagine dropping her off at the police station and leaving her there and never seeing her again. That thought makes me feel sick. But I guess some mums just arn't cut out for it, and I guess if your addicted to drugs, it would make it 10X
harder. So at least she did the right thing. I would think that the police should be advocating doing this instead of abondoning them in a Walmart or something.

Nikki - posted on 09/15/2010

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No, definitely not, she possibly shouldn't have been so stupid as to turn up with drugs or to threaten officer's, but what kind of message does this send other mother's who are in the same situation. If this is the type of consequence then there will certainly be more cases of children being dumped in unsafe situations. Sad

Johnny - posted on 09/15/2010

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I think when people feel that they are in a desperate situation, they can really do things without actually thinking them through. At least she tried to ensure his safety and look after his needs, despite her obviously enormous issues. I do not think charging her with anything is necessary. But then I do not support the idea of making simple drug possession illegal, and I see no point in making her a criminal for that. Give her child the support and care he needs. Get her some help for her life situation and her drug problem. See if you can get the family reunited. What good would come of criminal charges? Nothing but making some people feel like she was "punished" which is just lame in my opinion. It's better to fix a family than to make an example out of her. As well, you should never do anything to discourage parents from seeking help when they may harm or neglect their kids.

Tah - posted on 09/15/2010

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i am glad she realized that she couldn't care for him and took him to a police station. I don't think she should be charged with anything but the drug charges, if they would have found the boy on a curb, or heaven forbid raped or dead then she would have been charged with a laundry list of other charges... There are people who can't be parents..and shouldn't be...like the mother who traded her 9 year old for drugs, she was arrested and so was the drug deaer, after he raped, sodomized and abused the girl...i wish more mothers would walk their children into a police station before we find them dead in the woods or being traded like pokemon cards.....smh and so sad..

Teresa - posted on 09/15/2010

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Drug charges? Yes. The rest? No... unless they are making that charge because of her comment about him getting raped or murdered.

Illinois is only 30 days? Are there other states w/ longer?

Tanya - posted on 09/15/2010

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Yeah I don't think they should charge her.

Sherri - posted on 09/15/2010

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She tried at least to do the right thing they should have just let her go.

Kate CP - posted on 09/15/2010

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Not for leaving him with the police but for having drugs with her and her son, yea. I don't know how I feel about this...

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