The neighbor of a 28-year-old Skowhegan woman charged with endangering the welfare of a child has come to her defense, telling CBS 13 she deserves another chance.
“She may drink and whatnot. She may play her music loud,” Shane Owen, a neighbor of the recently arrested Stephanie Freeman, said. “She’s not a bad mother.”
Skowhegan police said they found Freeman passed out drunk on the floor of her apartment, which they described in a court filing as being littered with cat feces, vomit, empty beer cans and open prescription bottles. Police said the only things in the refrigerator were a half case of beer and bag of cheese.
Freeman’s two-year-old daughter was allegedly lying with her mother on the floor. Police said they reported to the building because of blaring music, and got no response when they knocked on the door, so they accessed the apartment through a window, CBS 13 reported.
After the mother and daughter were checked out at the hospital, the child was placed in the custody of her grandmother and Freeman was arrested, the station reported. Freeman pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released, with her next court date scheduled for September, CBS 13 reported.
Owens told CBS 13 he feels Freeman is being treated unfairly.
“People need to stop running her into the ground,” Owens said. “Let her get the help she needs. Let her move on with her life. Let her get her daughter back. That’s what she needs.”