New Hampshire mother who sent girl, 3, unaccompanied in Lyft, left baby wrapped in urine-soaked blanket charged
A 35-year-old woman from Manchester, New Hampshire, Stephanie Goddu, was arrested on Friday, January 8, and charged with endangering the welfare of a child as well as resisting arrest. The news release by the Manchester Police Department on Facebook following her arrest states that Goddu initially barricaded herself in her home when the police arrived.
The statement reads, “On January 8, 2021 at approximately 6 pm, Manchester Police arrested 35 y/o Stephanie Goddu and charged her with Endangerment the Welfare of a Child. Goddu was wanted in connection with two incidents involving her children. She was located at her Manchester residence. Goddu did not initially comply with officers’ orders to surrender and barricaded herself in her apartment. After a short time, Goddu did come out and was taken into custody.”
The investigation on Goddu reportedly began on January 6, 2021, after the police officers noticed that Goddu’s two children had not been picked up from the daycare at Southern NH Services. When the Employees of the daycare could not make contact with Goddu, they contacted the police. The cops were informed that she also had a three-month-old baby with her.
On reaching Goddu’s residence to check on her and the infant, according to the police, she appeared “incoherent and disoriented” and even struggled to answer their questions. The news release reveals some shocking details as it describes the state in which the baby was found.
“The baby was found to be strapped to an infant carrier seat, and was wearing extremely warm clothing and a blanket. The carrier was not more than 6 feet away from a heater and there was concern that the child could overheat. The child was also found to be covered in urine,” it reads.
Reportedly, the mother had hired a Lyft driver to take her 3-year-old daughter to the daycare on Monday, January 4. The employees of the daycare told the police that the child arrived safely, but wasn’t accompanied by anyone.
“Both the condition of the infant and the unsupervised ride to daycare were cause for police to charge Goddu. Since Goddu did not initially surrender, she was also charged with Resisting Arrest,” the statement reads. The authorities haven’t said in whose custody the children are currently, after charging Goddu.
A few months ago, a couple from Fairfield, California, was charged after the police officers found 10 children living in their home amid feces, garbage, and being subjected to torture. An investigation was launched after the police found a missing boy from the house on 2200 block of Fieldstone Court in Fairfield. According to the official statement, on arriving at the couple’s residence, they discovered that nine of their ten children were living in "unsafe and unsanitary" conditions. The children ranged from 4 months to 11 years.
Describing the condition of the house, the officers said that the place was littered with human and animal feces, urine, garbage, and rotten food. They also added that heaps of debris had blocked certain parts of the house and the children were emotionally and physically abused.