Campbell mother charged with endangering her 4 kids

Staff report

CAMPBELL

A 24-year-old Reed Avenue woman was taken to the Mahoning County jail Friday night, charged with child endangering and disorderly conduct after police found her four children playing in the street a block away from their home.

An officer on patrol noticed the children on Robinson Road at 13th Street at 7:33 p.m. with no adults present and cars having to swerve around them to avoid hitting them.

The children were age 9, 6, 5 and 2. The 2-year-old was wearing only a diaper and was dirty. Two of the younger children were “very dirty and not wearing any shoes,” police said.

The officer walked the children to their house and spoke with their mother, Anna Cardona, who was sitting in the home eating and watching television apparently unconcerned about the children’s whereabouts, the officer said.

When she was advised of the problem, Cardona began screaming at the children, telling them it was their fault she was going to jail. She resisted arrest by pulling away as the officer tried to put her in handcuffs, the officer said.

She was charged with endangering children and disorderly conduct. The children were placed with their grandmother, and Mahoning County Children Services was contacted.