Group Home Staff Member Faces Child Endangerment Charges In Stafford County: Police

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A deputy arrested a staff member at a private group home in north Stafford on Saturday night. The staff member, William Patterson, faces five counts of child endangerment, police said.

A deputy visited the group home around 11:40 p.m. on Saturday as part of an investigation. When he arrived, a child answered the door, according to the police report. The child said they were unable to wake up the staff member on duty.

A pair of deputies entered the home to conduct a welfare check, according to the police report. When the staff member woke up, deputies determined that he was under the influence, police said.

The sheriff's office identified the staff member as Patterson and determined that there were five children in his care.

Deputies contacted the group home's supervisor, who came to take care of the children. The sheriff's office said Child Protective Services was notified about the case.

When deputies arrested Patterson, they said they found "a suspected controlled substance" in his jacket, according to the police repot. Deputies charged Patterson with possession of a controlled substance and five counts of felony child endangerment.

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