3 women face charges of endangering children

3 women face charges of endangering children

BOARDMAN

Police arrested three women Tuesday, accused of using razor blades to remove Walmart merchandise from its packaging and putting it on their three children, according to police reports.

The suspects attempted to leave the store with merchandise in their purses and clothes on the children.

When one suspect was arrested, she tried to pull away from officers. Syringes were found in her possession.

Susanne Rodden, 46, of Beloit, was arrested on charges of theft, criminal trespassing and endangering children.

Jennifer Rodden, 27, of Beloit, was arrested on charges of theft, endangering children, resisting arrest, obstructing official business and possessing drug-abuse instruments.

Melissa Mills, 35, of Homeworth, was arrested on charges of theft, criminal trespass and endangering children.

Fire collapses home

GIRARD

Firefighters contained a fire on West Liberty Street that collapsed a two-story home Thursday afternoon. The couple and two dogs who live in the home were in the garage at the time, and were unharmed.

Weathersfield and McDonald firefighters helped battle the blaze. The American Red Cross was at the scene to help the displaced couple. Firefighters are investigating the cause of the fire. Two people who saw the plume of smoke helped the couple get away from the property.

Attempted theft

LIBERTY

A man attempted to steal more than $700 worth of goods from the Walmart on Belmont Avenue Wednesday evening, according to a police report. Police said Jesse Walters tried to push the cart full of goods past Walmart staff but was stopped. He was a suspect in two other thefts from Walmart in the past month in which police said he stole $522 worth of goods.

Not-guilty pleas

WARREN

Conner R. McKenney, 20, of Central Parkway Avenue Southeast, was released from the Trumbull County jail Wednesday after posting $7,500 bond, accused of robbing a convenience store of a pack of cigarettes.

A not-guilty plea was entered to felony robbery, and McKenney pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon.

Police said Nick Graham, assistant Warren law director, had just gotten coffee in the store about 8:15 a.m. and was in his car when he saw McKenney running from the store with a store clerk chasing him.

Graham followed McKenney in Graham’s car and “flashed his badge” to McKenney. McKenney lifted his shirt and asked Graham to take the knife he had. When police arrived to arrest McKenney, Graham had him on the ground.

Fire under investigation

WARREN

A resident of a home that caught fire Wednesday night on Southern Boulevard told authorities she thinks it was arson.

The Warren Fire Department, which extinguished it, said the cause is under investigation.

Firefighters were called at 9:54 p.m. for a structure fire. When they got there, two adults and four children had escaped unharmed.

The fire started with a car in the driveway and spread to the house, causing $11,000 in damage, the fire department said.

The American Red Cross was called to assist the family.

Suspected drugs in diaper

WARREN

LaQuisha D. Dukes, 27, of Duke Avenue Southeast, is charged with child endangering and traffic violations, and Chaylon A. Breckenridge, 31, of Fifth Street Southwest is charged with tampering with evidence after a Wednesday traffic stop, when police found suspected drugs in a baby’s diaper.

An officer made a stop on Burton Street and found that Dukes was driving on a suspended license. There was a child in a baby seat in the back and another child seated next to the baby.

Because Dukes and Breckenridge were acting suspiciously, officers checked the baby seat but didn’t find anything suspicious. Then they asked Dukes to change the baby’s diaper. While doing that, officers saw a bindle of a white substance come out of the diaper. They also found three baggies of white and brown substances that police collected as evidence.

Officers had ambulance personnel come to the scene to check the baby to make sure he had not been exposed to dangerous substances. Dukes and Breckenridge were taken to jail.

Pink baseball bat raffle

NILES

Two Niles stores will raffle off pink baseball bats signed by the 2019 Mahoning Valley Scrappers to benefit the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center.

According to the release, the fundraiser idea came from Niles native Jeff McFalls.

McFalls purchased and painted the bats and partnered with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers to get them signed by the team. The bats are on display at Pope’s on North Road and Red Dragon Convenient on North Main Street. Tickets for the raffle cost $1 each and go on sale Sunday.

All proceeds will be presented to Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley for the benefit of the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center and the Joanie’s Promise Fund. Raffle tickets are available at both Pope’s and Red Dragon Convenient.

The drawing is scheduled for Oct. 31 to mark the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Surplus food/clothing

East Side Crime Watch, 1001 Oak St., at the corner of Fruit Street, Youngstown, food and clothing, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Participants need to bring containers and proper identification.

Food 4 your Soul, free hot meal from noon until gone, Saturday, former Bottom Dollar store, Glenwood Avenue.

Food- and clothing-distribution notices are to be submitted by 3 p.m. the day before they are to be published.