Thiensville child abuse case; mother, kids spent night outside
Mother charged, kids spent night outside
Ozaukee County prosecutors charged a woman with child abuse and neglect after they say she spent the night outside with her two children,
THIENSVILLE, Wis. - Ozaukee County prosecutors charged a woman with child abuse and neglect after they say she spent the night outside with her two children in sub-zero wind chill earlier this week.
Angelica Saragosa, 47, appeared in court on Friday. In all, she's charged with two counts of child abuse, two counts of child neglect, misdemeanor battery and three counts of misdemeanor bail jumping.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
The backstory:
In January, Saragosa moved from Colorado to Thiensville to be with her boyfriend and moved into a home on Crescent Lane with her kids – a 7-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl.
The latest incident started after Thiensville police were called to a home on Wednesday. Prosecutors say Saragosa beat up her boyfriend. But by the time police showed up, she and her kids were gone. Police said they looked for the three as temperatures dipped to zero in sub-zero wind chill.
Thiensville domestic incident; woman arrested for child abuse, more
The Thiensville Police Department said a woman was arrested for child abuse, child neglect and more after a domestic disturbance overnight.
"Ultimately, it turns out, she spent the night outside with her two children, who were poorly dressed," said Kanekoa Lindo.
The three spent the night next to a home's furnace vent. Court filings said, come Thursday morning, Saragosa and her kids showed up at a neighbor's home trembling uncontrollably.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
"Both kids are at the hospital, still, being treated for low body temperature and carbon monoxide exposure. The boy has blistering on his feet, due to exposure to the cold," said Kanekoa Lindo.
In court
Dig deeper:
It's not the first time police have been involved. Saragosa was issued a battery citation in January, and a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge was filed earlier this month.
Thiensville Police Department
"This is now the third referral we’ve had in Ozaukee County since Jan. 30 of this year," said Ozaukee County Assistant District Attorney Kristian Kanekoa Lindo.
What's next:
Saragosa is due back in court next month. Her bond was set at $100,000 on Friday.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Thiensville Police Department, Ozaukee County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.