Tuckahoe Mom Arrested for Endangering the Welfare of a Child

Police arrested a Tuckahoe mother on Wednesday, after she allegedly let her toddler go outside alone. 

According to Tuckahoe police, officers were cleaning up Depot Square after the Beatles tribute concert, when a man told them there was a baby in the street, apparently without supervision.

It was around 10:15 p.m. when officers found the 2-year-old girl, who was wearing just a diaper, standing off the curb on Sagamore Road and crying.

They attempted to locate the toddler's family, when a woman, 34-year-old Gina Meaney, came out of 133 Sagamore Road. She claimed to be the baby's aunt, telling police that the mother must have dropped the child off in the lobby, Lt. Ray Stabile said.

Police went into the apartment with Meaney, who said she wanted to put clothes on the baby. Officers soon became aware that not only did the woman appear to be intoxicated, but that she was the mother of the child, not her aunt, police said.

When officers attempted to question Meaney further, she became belligerent and abusive, Lt. Stabile said. She fought with officers as they attempted to put her under arrest and had to be restrained, he said. 

Meaney was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, obstruction of governmental administration, a misdemeanor, and resisting arrest.

The child was taken to Lawrence Hospital for evaluation and was said to be fine.

The father of the baby was not home when the incident occurred, but was notified and picked up the child from the hospital. He and the toddler are currently staying with the child's grandfather, police said.

Child Protective Services was notified and determined the child should be released to the father. However, police said CPS would continue to look into the case.

Meaney is due in Village Court on August 24.