St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Deputy James Yates responded to the Shell Gas station in Callaway at 3:03 p.m. March 27, for a report of unattended children.
Upon arrival Deputy Yates found two children, ages 4 and 3, at the gas station without adult supervision.
The children were interviewed and indicated they lived across the roadway. The children told the Deputy Yates they walked across the street by themselves.
At approximately 3:32 pm Deputy Yates returned the children to their residence on Canvasback Drive. Upon arrival Deputy Yates met Chanelle Morgan the adult who was responsible for the care of the two children.
Morgan stated she checked on the children approximately ten minutes prior to Deputy Yates’ arrival and the children were playing outside in the yard. Morgan’s statement conflicted with the time Deputy Yates received the call for unattended children at 3:03 pm and the time of Deputy Yates arrival to the children’s residence at 3:32 pm.
Deputy Yates had the children his possession for approximately 30 minutes. Another witness stated she had not seen the children playing in the yard for over an hour.
A further check of Chanelle Morgan revealed her real name to be Loretta Chanelle Morgan, 24 of Callaway. Morgan had an open warrant for arrest in Montgomery County.
Morgan was arrested and charged with two counts of contributing to a condition which rendered a child in need of supervision, one count of child desertion and one count of false statement to a police officer. In addition, Morgan was served with the open arrest warrant from Montgomery County.