ROCKLAND — A Rockland woman is accused of being under the influence of drugs after her 3-year-old son was found in a ditch.

Last weekend, Officer Andrew Redden responded to a citizen’s call on Rankin Street. The citizen reported finding a 3-year-old boy lying in a drainage ditch, near a culvert, with no one around.

Police say the boy was unable to tell or lead Officer Redden to where he lived, only that he had been watching Scooby Doo at home. Officer Redden noted that the boy had pink nail polish on several areas of his skin. The citizen reported that he had tried to find the child’s mother, at two different apartment complexes, without luck; however, one apartment’s front door was wide open, and Scooby Doo was playing on the TV inside. When Redden arrived at the apartment, he saw pink nail polish on the entryway floor.

When Redden was unable to get anyone to respond to his knocking, he entered the apartment to check on the mother’s well-being. Inside, Redden found the boy’s mother, Mandy Dennison, 27, sleeping on a mattress in the living room.

After several attempts, Redden was able to wake Dennison, who didn’t know where he son was. Dennison appeared to be under the influence of drugs, according to police.

Dennison was found to be in possession of clonazepam, which isn’t prescribed to her.

Dennison was arrested and transported to the Knox County Jail. The boy’s grandmother came to the scene and picked him up.

The following evening, April 24, Officer Alex Gaylor conducted a bail check on Dennison, to verify compliance with the conditions of her release. Dennison was found to be in possession of a different medication that, again, she had no prescription for. Dennison was arrested at this incident, as well.

Dennison’s charged include Endangering the welfare of a child, two counts of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, and violating conditions of release.

Copy the Story Link