Inset: Arissa Ward (Dauphin County Prison). Background: The Pennsylvania street where a 2-year-old boy was found wandering around with no shoes or socks on in 37-degree weather while Arissa Ward was allegedly supposed to be watching him (Google Maps).
A Pennsylvania woman who spent two days in prison for passing out on her son and suffocating him while drunk and high on marijuana is in trouble again — this time for endangering another child she was babysitting, police say.
Arissa Ward, 32, of York County, allegedly let a 2-year-old boy she was supposed to be watching wander out of her house and into the middle of a road, where he was found wandering around with "no socks and no shoes" while it was 37 degrees outside, according to a criminal complaint and probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
"He was cold to the touch due to the temperature," the affidavit says.
Pennsylvania State Police tell Law&Crime that the child was "found in the middle of the road" on W. Main Street in Windsor on Tuesday morning around 8 a.m. by a passerby who contacted PSP. An investigation "determined the young child's babysitter, Arissa Ward, had fallen asleep and the child had gotten out of the house," according to PSP officials.
Troopers canvassed the surrounding area and notified Children and Youth Services, who told police "to check Arissa Ward," who lived in the area and had been previously convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment for suffocating her 2-month-old son while she was intoxicated, according to court records and local reports.
After troopers knocked on Ward's door, she opened it and allegedly said, "I'm babysitting and I just woke up. What is going on?" Troopers asked if she was "missing a kid," to which she replied, "Yes, yes, but he is not mine," according to the affidavit.
"[The boy's mom] dropped him off with me this morning," Ward allegedly told the troopers. "He's a little boy, he's 2 … with blonde curly hair."
The troopers explained to Ward that the child had been with police for two hours and asked "for an explanation," per the affidavit.
"My kids and I were asleep," Ward allegedly replied. "I didn't know he opened up my door."
Ward claimed she was sleeping in her second-floor bedroom with her own two kids and her dog when the boy's mother dropped him off around 6:30 a.m., which the mom confirmed with police in an interview.
"[The mother] stated the front door was unlocked, which is not common," according to the affidavit. "She walked in the residence and took [the boy] upstairs to Ward's bedroom, which the door was open. [The mother] stated Ward was asleep and she had to wake her up."
The mom told police that Ward eventually woke up and told her son, "Come here, mom has to go to work." The mother picked up her son and placed him beside Ward in the bed; Ward then immediately "fell asleep again" and had to be jolted awake once more by the mother, the affidavit says.
"[The mother] stated she did not close the bedroom door behind her, and is not certain if the baby gate was latched behind her," according to the affidavit. "[The mother] stated she pulled the front door shut as she left."
Ward began texting the mom around 9:19 a.m., per the affidavit, and allegedly said, "Good morning babe!! Whatcha doin. B— where is you." The mom responded and said, "Hey girl!!! im at work lol. i was a little late today hope i dont get into trouble lol," according to police.
About 30 minutes later, Ward allegedly sends a text saying, "Where's [the boy]???"
This led to the mom calling Ward five times, with each call going to voicemail, the affidavit alleges. The woman received a call from police around 10 a.m. saying her child was in police custody after being found outside, per the affidavit.
Ward was arrested and charged with a felony charge of child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of recklessly endangering another person. Court records show that she had previously spent two days in prison after suffocating her son in 2016.
Ward pleaded no contest to the involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment charges related to that case. The Patriot-News reported in 2018 that she tested positive for marijuana just six days before her sentencing that June.
Prosecutors had accused Ward of rolling over onto her 2-month-old after passing out while she was drunk and high. The child died from asphyxiation and marijuana was found in his system, which was alleged to be from Ward nursing him.
Under state sentencing guidelines, Ward was supposed to serve at least three months behind bars following her no contest pleas but the judge overseeing her case wanted to give the mom a chance to redeem herself and be free to take care of her surviving daughter, who was 3 at the time, according to The Patriot-News.
"I'm going to give you the opportunity to do a little bit of penance," the judge reportedly said at Ward's sentencing. "This will be a chance to prove yourself."
Ward, who posted bail in her most recent case, is due back in court on May 5.
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