A 33-year-old mother of three, Nicodia Samuels, was taken into custody when her 7-year-old daughter went to a neighbor’s house with a sign that read “please adopt me.”
According to authorities, a mother has been taken into custody after her daughter arrived at a neighbor’s house without shoes and carrying a sign that read “please adopt me”.
According to reports, Nicodia Samuels, who is 33 years old, has been charged with child endangerment for purportedly leaving her three young kids, including a one-year-old, unattended at their residence in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Police were contacted by two Chambersburg residents on November 8th, after a child arrived at their doorstep that evening. Chambersburg is located approximately three hours to the west of Philadelphia.
According to CBS affiliate WHP, Erika and Aineel David were taken aback when they saw a seven-year-old girl walking around in 40 F weather without a jacket.
The sign she was holding made the situation even more harrowing. According to reports, it stated: “My mother hits me, and I have no home. Please adopt me.”
According to court documents obtained by the Gannet-owned newspaper Public Opinion, it has been revealed that the school attended by the individual in question is being kept confidential. Moreover, the documents state that the person’s iPad was broken by their mother.
According to Erika, as soon as the couple opened the door, the little girl burst into tears and pleaded with them not to take her home and allow her to stay.
According to the couple, the little girl declined to provide her name and address when they inquired about it.
Upon inspecting the school backpack she had carried with her, they successfully recognized her.
According to court documents, Erika and Aineel were concerned about the safety of the little girl and summoned a police officer. The officer was able to persuade her to lead him to her residence.
As he approached the front door, he noticed that it was slightly ajar. He tried knocking, but no one answered.
According to the documents, as soon as the officer entered, they heard the sound of a baby crying upstairs. Upon reaching there, they discovered a two-year-old child standing near a baby gate that was placed in front of a doorway.
Upon further investigation, he came to realize that there was a one-year-old child sound asleep in a separate bedroom.
At the same time, the police officers stationed at the police station were actively searching for the parents of the children.
According to the documents, the officers contacted Samuels as he rose through their system.
After running a quick errand, she promptly answered their call and informed them that she was on her way home.
Upon her return to the house, the officer inquired about the situation. As per the officer, she reportedly responded with a simple, “Nothing.”
According to the court documents, the police officer asked her seven-year-old what had happened, but failed to notice that the child had been walking outside the home.
As per the records, the mother informed the authorities that she had left her children alone while they were sleeping as she was in the midst of relocating.
Initially, she asserted that she was in the vicinity, but the officer contradicted her claim, stating that she had been absent for a minimum of 45 minutes.
Upon conducting an initial investigation, it was discovered that her previous residence was located approximately 30 minutes away by car.
On November 15, Samuels faced arraignment on three felony counts of child endangerment. She was released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
The police have confirmed that Franklin County Children and Youth Services have given their approval for a safety plan for her children.
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