Charges Against Rimersburg Woman Accused of Being Drunk While Caring for Her Children Move Forward

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Published June 15, 2022 4:28 am
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CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) — Charges against a Rimersburg woman who was allegedly passed out drunk while caring for her two children have been waived for court.

According to court documents, the following charges against 31-year-old Erin Lynn Maples were waived for court during a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, June 14:

– Endangering Welfare of Children – Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Felony 2
– Endangering Welfare of Children – Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Misdemeanor 1

The case has been transferred to the Clarion County Court of Common Pleas.

Maples remains free on $10,000.00 unsecured bail.

Details of the case:

Officers from New Bethlehem Borough Police Department were dispatched to a residence along Main Street, in Rimersburg Borough, Clarion County, for a report of an unconscious female.

According to a criminal complaint, it was noted that Erin Maples was passed out on the couch in the center of the apartment. Maples was in primary care of two of her children. One child called their grandmother by video chat. According to the grandmother, the child told her that “mom was on the couch and wasn’t able to be woken up.” When the grandmother went to the residence of Maples, she called 9-1-1 and reported an unconscious female. She added that Maples is supposed to be providing the duty of care, protection, or support of the minor children.

Upon police’s arrival on the scene, they met with the grandmother and a known male. When police entered the residence, they found Maples laying on a sectional couch. She had a disheveled look to her, and she was snoring very loudly, the complaint notes.

Police shouted her first name to her twice from the edge of the couch, and she did not move. An officer then kicked the foot of the couch that she was lying on, and it shook the whole couch, including her body. Maples did not respond and continued snoring. During observation of Maples, police noted “she could not care for herself, and knowingly endangered the welfare of the children by violating a duty of care, protection, or support, by drinking an excessive amount of alcohol rendering her unconscious,” the complaint states.

Police observed a glass jar on the kitchen table with a straw in it. Inside the recycling bin were multiple small alcoholic mini bottles. It was noted the recycling bin and the kitchen table were both in plain view, the complaint indicates.

Once paramedics had Maple loaded onto a reeves stretcher and strapped in, she opened her eyes and was lethargic. Maples said that she just wanted to sleep it off. A paramedic informed Maples that she was being taken to the hospital, and she did not fight or struggle, the complaint notes.

When the paramedics were carrying Maples down the stairs, she reached out to grab the wall but did not have the strength or coordination to resist, the complaint states.

Once Maples was loaded into the ambulance, police gathered information from the grandmother and the known male. Police asked Maples if it was all right that her kids go with the grandmother and the other child with the father. Maples was hard to understand and was slurring her speech. Police informed both individuals that they could take the children, the complaint indicates.

On Tuesday, April 5, a search warrant was submitted to Judge Miller for the medical records of Erin Maples from the emergency room visit on Sunday, March 6. On the EMS transfer of care form, it states that Maples is a “known alcoholic”…“initially unresponsive to all stimuli.” On Page One, the “Chief Complaint” is listed as “alcohol intoxication.”.On the same page, it lists that Maples told EMS she drank “five apple crowns,” according to the complaint.

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