Hartford woman faces drug, child neglect charges: sheriff

HARTFORD, Wis. - A  38-year-old Hartford woman has been arrested on drug and child neglect charges after a month-long drug investigation, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said.

After complaints from neighbors of possible drug dealing and other issues at the home, the drug task force opened an investigation. An undercover deputy was able to purchase cocaine and meth at the home on Court Drive. During the drug transaction, the suspect allegedly asked the undercover officer to feed her 20-month-old child French fries as she bagged the drugs in the other room. Noting the child was in a dangerous and unfit home environment, the case was then a priority for the investigators, a release said. The child was also at a second drug deal that happened in the suspect's car.

On June 22, deputies conducted a traffic stop on the suspect as she left the house with her child. She was found to have cocaine concealed on her person by corrections officers during the intake process. The suspect was arrested and the child was taken into protective custody, check out at a medical facility and put into foster care, a release said. 

Her 31-year-old brother was also arrested during the execution of the search warrant on outstanding felony warrants unrelated to the investigation after he attempted to flee the residence.

"The coordinated response to drug endangered children is a cooperative effort between local Washington County stakeholders. We have been working closely together with our partners to establish uniform response guidelines to drug endangered children which allow us to respond efficiently and effectively to ensure children are taken out of these life-threatening situations. It is unconscionable to think that a parent would leave a small child unattended with a stranger who is in the house to purchase drugs," Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis said.

The woman now faces multiple charges related to the delivery and possession of cocaine, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and child neglect.