Staff Reports
A 29-year-old Columbus woman who was found unconscious after admitting to using methamphetamine was arrested Tuesday after officers received a report of her toddler playing in the street injured and unsupervised near Smith Street and McKinley Avenue.
CPD officers responded to the call at about 5:50 p.m. and located the toddler who had a soiled diaper and laceration on his ankle that was bleeding heavily, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
The officers requested paramedics who responded to the scene to care for the toddler. A witness advised officers that they also observed another small child playing in front of a residence with the front door ajar in the 300 block of Smith Street.
Officers responded to the residence and located the other child, who came to the door holding a large pair of scissors, Harris said. After several unsuccessful attempts to make contact with an adult, the officers entered the home and located the children’s mother, Teagan J. Gray, of 349 Smith St., who was unconscious on the living room couch, Harris said.
The officers were eventually able to wake Gray and confirmed that the two toddlers were her children. Gray also reportedly acknowledged to officers that she had used methamphetamine early Tuesday morning, Harris said.
While inside the home, the officers observed a broken beer mug as well as a baseball bat covered in barbed wire that was in reach of the toddlers, Harris said.
Gray was placed under arrest and transported to the Bartholomew County Jail where she was held on a preliminary charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, a Level 5 Felony, Harris said.
The Department of Child Services was requested by officers and later took custody of the two children, Harris said.
Gray was being held in the Bartholomew County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bond, jail officials said.
