EMPORIUM (EC) — An Emporium woman has been charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children and a misdemeanor for recklessly endangering another person for allegedly exposing her 2-year-old child to methamphetamine.
Shalynn Marie Schatz, 24, with home addresses listed in both Emporium and Penfield, was charged this week for incidents that occurred between Jan. 2 and April 6.
An affidavit of probable cause on file at Magisterial District Judge Barry Brown’s office indicates Schatz left her two 2-year-old sons with a family member to go to the laundromat. When she did not return in a timely manner, the family member contacted the defendant’s brother, who indicated she had been at his home, but then asked her to follow him to a nearby gas station. At the station, the defendant was “frantically searching” for a bag of candy, which she later admitted had methamphetamines inside, the documents allege.
The family member watching the children was contacted and made aware of the situation. The candy container was allegedly located at the home where the children were being cared for, on the coffee table, presumably where the children could reach it. State police troopers were contacted, and the substance in the container allegedly tested positive for methamphetamines.
In April, Schatz is said to have arrived at the family members’ home with both children. She then related that one of the children had been throwing up, according to court documents. The family member told police that the child’s pupils were “like a pin” and he was “fading out” and was unable to hold up his head. The family member told Schatz to take the child for medical treatment or the ambulance would be called.
Court documents state that the child was taken to Penn Highlands Elk Q-Care in Emporium, and an employee contacted state police to relate that a 2-year-old was brought into the clinic “displaying signs of narcotic impairment.” Schatz refused an ambulance, instead driving the child to Penn Highlands Elk hospital in St. Marys.
There, the child underwent a drug screening that showed positive results for methamphetamine, documents state. A urinalysis also indicated the presence of amphetamines. Two doctors verified the testing results, according to the affidavit.
Schatz has been charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children and one misdemeanor for recklessly endangering another person. She is under a no-contact order throughout the proceedings, court records indicate.
She is being held in lieu of $20,000 bond and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today at Brown’s office in Emporium.
