BANGOR, Maine — An anonymous caller notified police last week that a Bangor woman had left her two children home alone, and police arrested and charged the mother when she arrived home, Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards said on Monday.
Shannon M. Bragg, 33, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child at about 9 a.m. Oct. 9 after police went to her Bolling Drive residence at 6 a.m. and discovered the children alone, the sergeant said.
The unnamed caller told police that “an 11-year-old and a 12-year-old had been alone for two days,” Edwards said. “They [responding officers] did in fact find this 11- and 12-year-old alone.“
Police began to search for Bragg shortly after arriving at her home, to no avail, and at around 7:30 p.m., called the Department of Health and Human Services to take custody of the children, Edwards said.
At 8:15 a.m., Bragg, who is on probation, made contact with police and shortly afterward arrived at her home and was arrested for child endangerment and violating her probation.
Bragg told police, “She left the kids alone to go be with a friend,” Edwards said, reading from Officer Kim Donnell’s report.
Bragg, who once lived in Aroostook County, is on probation for a drug trafficking conviction from 2009, according to court listings printed in the Bangor Daily News.
She was sentenced in May 2009 in Aroostook County Superior Court to eight years in prison, with all but two years suspended, for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs, with three years of probation tacked on after she finished her prison term, BDN archives state.
At the same time, she was sentenced for a second drug trafficking charge that resulted in a concurrent two-year prison sentence, as well as operating a motor vehicle with a suspended or revoked driver’s license and violating condition of her release, the court listings state.
Bragg also was convicted in Aroostook County Superior Court for stealing drugs and in January 2006 was sentenced to 18 months in prison, with all but 30 days suspended.
She was taken to Penobscot County Jail after she was arrested in Bangor and remained in jail Tuesday, a week after her arrest, a jail official said.
The two children who were removed from Bragg’s home remained in the care of the state.
Catch and release in effect.
Hows that working for us all ?
Citizens? or the people making the money off this?
Citizens hate it.
People making the money enable and encourage it.
SO sad, but SO true! The justice system and DHS need to face the the facts and realize that some people just don’t get it and NEVER will!
Mommy has been a busy lady.
Ummm, If she’s got SO MANY prison sentences, how the heck is she not in prison at the present time????
This shouldn’t have even happened. And at least the kids weren’t 4 years old… 11 and 12 isn’t SO bad… most 13 year olds baby sit.. but yea, for 2 days is way too long…
The cumulative suspended sentences should put her away long enough for the kids to get married. As long as their future home is a decent one, they just might learn how to be good parents themselves.
Won’t happen. When will I stop being a dreamer?
Unfortunately, it really is about dream on, partner… Mind-damaged like this gets passed down through generations, the settle-for-less mentality. Like a chapter out of Brave New World…
You dared to say (and much better than I could’ve said) what I feel and wanted to say.
Come on folks…. 12 and 11 I was baby sitting when I was 11 and 12 years old… I think they are very well able to care for themselves for a few day alone….
Are you serious? You think that it is ok for a parent to leave 11 and 12 year old children at home alone in this day and age. WTF.
Yes, at 12 I, too, was sought out by neighborhood families to babysit long hours and on occasion over night.
I was competent to deal with just about anything other than armed intruders.
It was a neo-vitorian age and civic ethos in my town was strong. That was a somewhat different age. Being male made a positive difference.
Today there are definitely some Maine settings today where 12 would not be a good choice. There are some neighborhoods where 18 would not be adequate.
The nanny state is upon us, but I suspect that events of the moment are influenced by the history of the “responsible” adult.
Babysitting at age 12 is different than leaving children alone to fend for themselves, cook meals, etc. for extended periods of time. Children need to feel taken care of and safe. Maturity plays a big part, but 11 and 12? Serously reality check needed on your end, my friend.
Get rigen real, it’s 2012,not years ago, times have changed get a clue!!
Today, 2012, the Red Cross certifies 11 year olds as babysitters.
http://kidmoney.about.com/od/jobsforkids/p/babysittingcourse.htm
For a few hours, yes, but for days at a time? Unlikely!
What does the Red Cross say about home invasions, fires, accidents in the home? How does the Red Cross feel about kids being in school? Mom wasn’t too worried about it. Then again they’re 11 and 12, they probably have plenty of education by now. I’m guessing they’re probably not recommending kids watching kids for days at a time. Don’t get me wrong. My brother and I were watching ourselves from third grade on. However, with whats going on in Bangor in 2012 I would not be letting my children at that age stay home alone for one night let alone two days
Terri, times haven’t changed quite enough to okay a skank like this leaving her kids alone for a couple days…
how true when i was that age there was maybe 1 or 2 hours between when my mom got home after my dad went to work he just said dont open the door tell them your father is sleeping if they dont leave call 911 but they were not gone for two days common.
I babysat at 12 was left in charge for hours, and alone for hours. No bother. I knew how to cook, put myself to bed. Etc. My brother baby sat at 12 too. Although, I was not left for days.
i know but look at her jeez i would run away from home wonder if she looked that way 12 years ago wow
what an idiotic thing to say! Any number of things could have happened to this kids….breakins, fires, injuries….did they go to school? what about meals? going to bed….do you think they may have been frightened being alone at night…..let’s nominate this loser for mother of the year? She was with “a friend”…..no work? ahh, probably not, on the gravy train maybe? I hope these two children are placed in wonderful foster homes to grow up to be responsible adults with a good future ahead of them. God bless them both.
How about it’s as simple as skanky dope-fiend mama took off with whoever was paying for the drugs for a couple days? She didn’t give a rats arse about break-ins or accidents or fires as long as there was another ‘hit’ involved. Yes, there are people who do that.
On that note all those things could happen to an adult too. Should we never grow up?
A 11 and twelve years old that babysits and doesn’t cook? Doesn’t know how to take care of themselves, put themselves to bed etc.? I think that is neglect.
What condition were the kids in?
Yeah a kid could go through an ordeal, but if they are taught how to do it, and slowly worked into it, instead of suddenly being left alone, it is a different situation. Taking their mother away could be a bigger ordeal.
This is a different day and age, would this happen to the children generations ago at this age? I thought 12 year olds left home for apprenticeships, and marriages etc.. How about governor LePage, wasn’t he on his own at that age?
yes, I believe LePage alleges to have run away from home and on his own at a young age (he must have had someone helping him with food and shelter)…that may explain his crude rude mouth and obnoxious statements…
Whether or not they are capable is not the issue. They should not have to be on their own for 2 days while mom is out and about. I am acquainted with this woman, and she is nothing nice.
Please tell me you are being sarcastic! Yes, I was babysitting at 12 years of age as well. But, most certain not for days at a time; for a few hours at best… At 11 and 12, they are not old enough to stay home for a few days; a few hours I could possibly see (depending on the maturity of the kids), a few days – definitely not!
I do agree with that. A few hours, but a few days???? I also don’t think it should be suddenly ok at 13 either. It should be more of a step program. Slowly step them into longer time periods so they don’t go through abandonment, or separation anxiety. Like starting school, some kids go through a bit of that separation anxiety starting kindergarten.
My daughters were baby sitting at that age. My children were able to take care of themselves at that age. They were also one phone call away from us and familyat that age and would have been visited by us and the police if they hadn’t had contact within 3 or 4 hours. I can only assume you are a troll trolling for comments.
Yes, exactly, a troll trolling with nothing better to do about something as serious as this.
The Red Cross certifies babysitters at age 11.
I know of many parents who have had 12 YO babysitters tend very young children for an entire might,
Maybe that is true. But there is a difference between teaching children to be self-sufficient and leaving them to fend for themselves.
It never states in the article the condition the kids were in. There is no way to know. I think that matters too.
They can not tell you about “the condition of the children” because that is confidential information when gathered by D.H.H.S. or their providers.
The fact that D.H.H.S. took them, and that the police are charging “child endangerment” says something about their condition, as there is no law in the State of Maine which prohibits parents from leaving children alone.
There is a law which prohibits parents from leaving their children without food, heat or adaquate shelter, or in unsafe or unhealthy surroundings. That would be neglect and a reason for D.H.H.S. intervention.
There’s that, too. Once we turned 8 or 9 and showed a bit of common sense, able to get by for a few hours without killing ourselves or each other, we stayed home alone at times – usually just an evening or a few hours. At 12 we could pretty well come and go and be in by 10PM. But then in this situation there’s the convicted dope-fiend mama and a real question whether she even left then any food.
Yes, we have an 11 and 12 year old BABYSIT for us for a few hours at a time. Not stay alone for 2 days. Sorry…I think you’re wrong.
A few days alone huh? Well, no, they shouldn’t be left alone to deal with life for two days. Fires can start, could of choked on food, let alone being alone at night…yeah, thing’s like that can and do happen and they won’t know how to react to it. You couldn’t possibly have kids…or you would never think that is okay to do – because if it was okay, DHHS wouldn’t have picked them up.
Left alone for TWO days??? Seriously?
11 and 12 year olds alone in the home… Sure. For an afternoon, perhaps for the better part of one day… But two days is far too long.
The sorrow is not because these children were “left alone for two days”. These children (according to the on-going account of this mother’s behavior) have been left alone for all of the years this woman has been on drugs, in and out of jail, and in and out of court.
Do you think (going by the BDN account) that this woman had the time to teach these boys the basics of self reliance?
My guess is that when you were babysitting at 11, you could (if you needed) always get hold of a caring adult in an emergency. The thrust of this story tells me that “caring adults” have been in short supply in these children’s lives.
It would be a much nicer world (and cheaper to live in) if this could happen.
She is quite a looker.
You may adda a pathetic loser also. I hope they take these children from her so they will have a chance at life. Oh yeah, take her free state funded debit card away too.
Let me guess, she was really away on a job interview.
She definitley dosen’t deserve those kids!!!
Yeah, with the drugs it doesn’t sound good.
Imagine the courts letting a marijuana user keep kids, who claimed to have quit a few times, but not the marathon runner parent. Of course, the runner is crazy. What runner isn’t crazy??? It’s true. They don’t drug test people making such requests. How do they know that the person making claims isn’t or hasn’t in the fairly recent past been on something known to cause paranoia and in cases hallucinations?
So much for justice…….
So what now gentle readers?
Foster care is a waste of time, and the majority of foster children wind up in homeless shelters, prison, or mental health facilities. I don’t see any mention of “grandparents” in this story or the two previous I have read on this same person. Probably in Florida trying to forget they had a daughter. Neighbors, friends, or siblings going to step up? Doubtful, by the time someone gets
this deep into drugs they have no “friends, neighbors or siblings they haven’t conned, ripped off, or rolled over on for a lighter sentence.
11 and 12 is too old or adoption, to young for emancipation, and just inconvenient for those who must make these decisions. I’m glad to not be the social worker on this case. Tonight they will sleep in a house with people they don’t know and face all the uncertainty of abandonment and loss by themselves. If they are INCREDIBALLY lucky they might be placed together, more likely they will be placed in separate homes.
So folks what happens to two children, down on their luck in the custody of the State of Maine which is not a better parent than the one they just lost?
Don’t want to think about that?
I do not blame you! Sometimes I’m embarrassed to be part of what we call “civilization”
What happens to them? Hopefully they have a relative, or their father, aunt, uncle, or maybe there is friend of the childrens parents who would step up and be a support for these children. This is the time when the caring individuals in these childrens lives need to step up or step in and take care of them. 11 and 12 this is the age when children often see there are 2 roads in life, the road to completing school, growing up, and staying away from drugs and trouble and then there is the road that far too many walk down, the road with poor choices, drug addiction, jail, and sometimes death, hopefully the adults who know this family will help these children and teach them how to NOT grow up to be like their mother.
If anyone out there reading this article knows these children or this family, and love them and want to be there to help guide them to a better life, please make the call to DHHS and offer your support. Instead of commenting on how terrible of parent she is, which we all can see by reading this, Offer to help the lives of these children, change a life for a child.
Dont let the write up fool you!!Good old D.H.S love these kind of people!!They’ll (D.H.S)continue given here everything she needs till the very end,as far as the other parent,father?Im sure if she’z like any other capehart mother out there,she already put the ki-bosh to that and had him doomed an unfit father or something stupid like that and the poor b#%^&*() is probibly getting robbed of half his paycheck and he cant get a word in edge wise..Been there,done that!!I know several of these girls personally and not so personally.D.H.S is paying them to goto Baraby’s every weekend,as well as there phone,and wireless internet and satilite!!Where do you think there kids get dumped off during these happy events?Just sayin
I am thinking that if he was any kind of father, he would have had the kids a long time ago. Its not the first time for her, thats for sure. If I was the father, I would have been furious the first time. Any system could see that they were not well cared for, therefore if the Dad wanted them and was fit to have them, he would. Our system is so screwed up. The only ones any of them hurt, is the kids.
YOU should choose your words wisely! Not ALL Capehart mothers are bad mothers!! I, for instance, work 40+ hours a week, NEVER left my kids alone, they have food, clothing, a roof over their heads and yes have extras! They are good kids and I fully believe that I am a great mother! I do not do drugs and do not drink! I find other things to spend my HARD EARNED money on! I have great friends and a great job! So before you bash others….think!
Umm…..spell check?
Talk about stereotyping. ….
Thank you, I can assure you the people at DHHS would like more than anything to work themselves out of a job. But as long as society produces mothers and fathers who abuse their children there will be a child protective services.
Not saying DHHS will ever be worked out of a job, I’m saying if you know these kids offer to be a support to them, that won’t make DHHS go away but it will help find supports for children as often children in need do not have these much needed supports. Would you rather have a child placed in a foster home with an unknown person or with a teacher or friends parents who was willing to take placement of these children?
And the options to being “part of what we call civilization” are what, pray-tell LOL Whine, moan and nitpick about the problems and lives of others — or try to change just one iota of all that. BTW, for all this squawk, didn’t hear you volunteer to take in the kids or suggest an alternative. Golly gee, isn’t is such fun to play “Ain’t It A Shame!” LOL
For all your whine and criticism of Tux’s comment, didn’t hear you offer to take them in either. Kettle, you’re black!
Wasn’t even talking to “Tux” — the reply was to the original post. Check yourself b4 for you wreck yourself. LOL
If you look again you will see your reply was to Tux
Bill Cat 16 hours ago in reply to Tux Katz
And
the options to being “part of what we call civilization” are
what, pray-tell LOL Whine, moan and nitpick about the problems and
lives of others — or try to change just one iota of all that. BTW, for
all this squawk, didn’t hear you volunteer to take in the kids or
suggest an alternative. Golly gee, isn’t is such fun to play “Ain’t It A
Shame!” LOL
Unwanted, down on their luck children always welcome here, as long as I have breath. The correct authorities know this, BUT I don’t personally know these children either, so they are no better off with me than with other unknown foster parents.
Sorry if I touched a nerve, I was just thinking on computer.
Tux, maybe I pushed the wrong button, but I was replying to somebody else..
= 86’d =
How about NONE, does that work for you? Works for me and never claimed otherwise — got a tiny place and a half-assed income, just getting by ourselves. Seems you missed the entire point of my comment…
We could all set here wailing and carrying-on to no end, playing “Ain’t It A Shame!!!” Yet anybody who’s in a position to help and doesn’t is just flapping their neck.
I remember being 12 and thank God my folks weren’t like this skank, my heart goes out to them kids, but I refuse to set doing a blow-by-blow of their real and possible misery, or getting some sort of twisted thrill from the misfortunes of others. Can’t help? That’s life. Sit here and revel on every misfortune these kids may or might have? That’s sick.
..= 86’d =
Hey, ease up on the coffee, will ya? So neither of us personally know this woman or her kids, don’t know anybody who does know them, but that somehow gives you a moral upper-hand here? LOL Try decaf.
= 86’d =
Gadael, my real point behind the comment was a jab at folks who wanna set around moaning about those poor kids and what might/maybe/could/should happen to them, and their skank momma, and then do nothing. Just want get some sort of weird thrill outta how terrible it is and lets imagine what horrible thing might happen next, and do nothing. Kee-rist, volunteer somewhere, hand out food at a soup kitchen, visit the rest home, check in on the elders and play a game of dominos, just DO SOMETHING instead of playing “Ain’t It A Shame.” Ya know? Faith without works is dead and talk is cheap. LOL. Peace on, Bill
—>>>>
How do you know that the individuals who feel bad for these children aren’t volunteering their time in soup kitchens, or playing domino’s? And I don;t think anyone here is “thrilled” about the hard times these children have had and the hard times ahead for these children. Whether or not you like it the lives these children have had is a SHAME, and no their future isn’t bright, but we’re all entitled to our opinions, if you want to focus yours on playing domino’s so be it, I would prefer to read about the kindness in peaoples hearts going towards these poor children. Who’s to say that just by this story someone doesn’t step up and take these children in, haven’t you ever heard of optimismn?! I wish nothing but future happiness for these children, and I hope to God they don;t go back to their horrible mother that they obviously shouldn;t have been with “judging by the record”. And i’m going to be optimistic and say thing ARE going to get better for them, they will attleast have meals, and clean clothes, and warmth <3
Gal, I truly hope you’re right and this generates enough interest that some folks get interested in these two kids at least. And it’ll take a whole lot of love and caring and curing to help them over what they’ve already been through. Remember the old Neil Young song — “The Needle and The Damage Done”
That is one of the most logical and heartfelt analysis I’ve ever read. I can’t see a single thought to contest. Thank you for being so thoughtful on this topic, reading my mind, doing all the typing for me, and so eloquently at that. WOW Thank you Tux, and my tuxes do too! Wish I could give you a hundred likes on this one. Tomorrow’s comments? Maybe not. :)
i heard of these homes for foster children, every foster child that has grown up in these homes had it alot worst. kids getting beatings and doing all their everyday chores, your right, i t should be some kind of special family member. and not some stranger.
Hopefully she’s done multiplying.
She was with her friends getting messed up plane and simple! Bolling drive resident….who do you think it paying the majority of her rent? Gotta love the welfare system.
Gal just doesn’t seem to get the idea — party’s over, has been for about twelve years for her.
Sounds to me like she might have done them a favor by not being with them.
What a real honey. Hard to believe that there are men around who would find this lady the person he would like to have a child with.
But then again, upon reflection, there are plenty of males in this state who have no more class than this beauty!
If it is any consolation the taxpayers are undoubtedly already taking care of the kids, so it is only a matter of finding them another place to live.
Brought to you by the liberal welfare programs! The look of America to come!
I think the next police department building should be built on Bolling Drive. Seems like a hub of criminal activity.
Seriously!!! Wow!! Mom of the year award goes to…yeah what a joke!!!
Yay another Mommy of the Year!!!! NOT
if that was my mother, i’d rather be alone.
Her new boyfriend probably doesn’t like kids, so she had to leave them at home by themselves while mommy tries to make another mistake.
is it just me or does the 2 year sentence and 2 year concurrent sentence she should still be in prison and who took care of her kds while she was in prison.
Please elaborate. Would they have to have a certain…
1. Income requirement
2. Religions affiliation
3. X square footage sized home
4. number of $ in the Bank
5. Be educated
This sounds a little like what Hitler was trying to do.
I recommend we just enforce the laws and punish the people that break them.
Tongue-in-cheek,Bushfan. Not everything is meant to be taken literally.
Went to stay with a friend for 2 days = drug binge
Two, three, four, five strikes. Hello is anyone paying attention to the path she has decided on numerous occasions to take. Hopefully the kids can be salvaged. Perhaps to much FREE time on her hands.
Where are all the conservative, pro- life folks who are ready to step up and adopt her children?
Seen better looking mouths with a hook in them!