Woman uses baby as ruse in search for drugs

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police say a woman burst into a Second Street home Wednesday afternoon while carrying a baby with her.

Police were called to the home where a woman there told them that Tammy Vanfossan, 30, of First Street had come over about 5:30 p.m. asking to borrow money to buy baby formula, reports said.

The woman told police Vanfossan was holding a baby, and when she was told no, she pushed her way through the front door and got inside the house.

Reports say Vanfossan walked through the house as if she were casing it, and she asked again to borrow $40 for baby formula and also asked to borrow the woman’s laptop computer, reports said.

Vanfossan later admitted she wanted money to buy drugs, reports said, and she left. The homeowner locked all the doors but Vanfossan came back later and tried to unlock a fence around the home by standing on top of several garbage cans, reports said.

Vanfossan then went back to her First Street home where officers found her and arrested her on a burglary charge. Police had family members take the baby. Reports did not say how old the baby is or whether the baby is a boy or girl.