ST. GEORGE, Utah, Oct. 26, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A St. George mother whose 3-year-old son was reported missing earlier this month has been booked on suspicion of child endangerment after a blood test revealed the presence of an illegal substance in the boy’s blood.
The woman, 38-year-old Jennifer Rose, was booked into Washington County’s Purgatory Correctional Facility on suspicion of:
- Marijuana possession, more than 16 ounces and less than 100 pounds, a third-degree felony
- Abuse or neglect of a disabled child, a third-degree felony
- Two counts of causing or permitting a child or vulnerable adult to be exposed to contraband substance, a third-degree felony
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor
Police received the missing-child call just before noon on Oct. 18, responding to the area of 465 S. Main St.
“The mother of the child, Jennifer Rose, allowed the first responding officers into part of the house, but did not allow them access into the garage or master bedroom,” the probable cause statement says.
“Eventually entry was made into those two portions of the house and it was determined the child was not there. During my initial interview with Jennifer, she stated she was in Mesquite the day prior looking for a new apartment. A friend she was with took her vehicle back to St. George, so she was stuck there while waiting for a ride back to St. George.
“She stated she got home at 0030 hours and kissed both of her kids on the forehead as they slept on the couch. Jennifer stated when she woke up, she realized her 3 year old was missing.”
Rose asked her 6-year-old son where the younger boy was, and he said did not know. Rose and one or more family members walked the neighborhood, but could not find the child, identified in the missing child alert as Brandon Stratton.
Police were alerted, and joined in what became a massive search. Rose told police she was in Mesquite, Nev., a day earlier, and had been robbed, and her car had been stolen. The trip was not drug-related, she told officers, but she had smoked marijuana on the trip and used methamphetamine the day prior.
Rose had a sitter for her two sons, she said, adding both were in her home when she returned.
Officers asked to see Rose’s phone, but she declined to surrender it until they obtained a search warrant.
Prior to the service of the search warrant, Brandon was brought to the St. George Police Station by a family friend.
“The individual said she went to the house and observed the house was
‘thrashed,’ moldy clothes, and drug paraphernalia all over as well as within reach of the kids,” the search warrant says. “She had stated to Jennifer in the past that she would take the kids if she saw drugs around them again.
“She did not take the 6 year old because he was asleep, but took the 3 year old because he was awake and had opened the door when she arrived, so she thought he may leave the house. She also stated the needles she had observed were in a place the three year old could have reached it.”
In a followup interview with officers, Rose admitted she had gone to Mesquite to have sex for money, then to use the money to buy meth, the statement says.
“She said she had also gone to Mesquite to get drugs. The analysis of her phone corroborated that she did go down for drugs and sex for money. It also showed the money for the drugs was stolen and subsequently caused the delay in her getting back to St. George.
“Jennifer’s kids were taken by DCFS (the Department of Child and Family Services). The 3 year old was tested for drugs. The results came back positive for amphetamine. During the service of the search warrant of the residence, moldy food and clothes were found in the residence.”
Needles were found in Rose’s room and in the kids’ closet, the statement says. Rose told officers the needles were hers, and “she used them to ingest her drug of choice, which she said was methamphetamine.”
The boys were classified as disabled because of the older boy’s autism diagnosis and the younger boy’s age, the statement said.
A news release said the “good Samaritan” who brought Brandon to police will not be charged in the case.
