City mother arraigned in assault case

YOUNGSTOWN — The pregnant woman accused of throwing her 3-year-old son down a flight of stairs was arraigned via video Monday in municipal court on charges of felonious assault and felony child endangering.

Judge Robert P. Milich set bond at $50,000 for Arlecia A. Davis, 25, of East Midlothian Boulevard. Dana Lantz, an assistant city prosecutor, asked that Davis have no contact with her 3-year-old son, and the judge issued the order.

As of Monday afternoon, Davis had not posted bond, but bond can be posted at any hour.

Police said Davis’ son nodded his head “yes” when asked if his mother threw him down the steps last Thursday night. Davis will be back in court Dec. 7 for a preliminary hearing.

When arrested, Davis told police she is eight months pregnant with twins. Sheriff Randall A. Wellington said if Davis goes into labor while in jail, she will be taken to a hospital to give birth and a round-the-clock guard will be placed at the hospital until she is returned to jail. He said family members would be contacted to determine who could take the babies, or the Mahoning County Children Services Bureau would step in to provide for the newborns’ care.

The sheriff said because Davis is a jail inmate, Mahoning County will have to pay for her hospital stay and delivery.