Ava, MO. – Three people from Douglas County have been arrested after an investigation revealed the three were neglecting an 8-week-old infant.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office say this happened on August 20th, Sheriff Degase and Deputy Dering approached the residence for a second time after finding no one at the house the hour prior. When they returned, 21-year-old Ashlee Dean and 25-year-old Nicholas Womble had run off into the woods with the infant, while 44-year-old Jean White stayed behind to chop down a garden of roughly 80 marijuana plants. This appeared to be in reaction to law enforcement’s prior visit.
After a few moments, Dean and Womble came back to the residence with the infant, who appeared to be very malnourished. It was later found the baby had been fed a diet of goat kid milk replacer, Vienna Sausages, and Code Red Mountain Dew.
All three were arrested and charged with Felony Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Child Abuse.
The infant child was then taken into state custody and has been given multiple medical treatments and examinations.
