A woman is accused of being intoxicated and unable to function while taking her daughter to Sesame Place in Middletown.
Lora Paone, 36,of Penndel, was charged last week via summons with endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person and public drunkenness.
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According to police, an officer working a patrol detail at the amusement park that draws large crowds throughout the year was notified of a woman who appeared incoherent and had a small child with her in the parking lot.
The officer went over and spotted a Toyota half in the lane of travel and half in the parking spot, according to court papers. Paone was reportedly trying to either put away or take out a stroller when the officer arrived.
Before the officer approached Paone, she fell to the ground and could not say what was wrong, court papers state. An ambulance was then asked to respond to the parking lot.
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Paone was alone with her 6-year-old daughter at the time, according to police.
Paone told the officer she was a diabetic and medics checked her blood sugar levels, which turned out to be normal, police said. A portable breath test was then performed and Paone puffed out a “little air” on the second try. Court papers say the reading returned a .339 blood alcohol content.
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Following the breath test, the 36-year-old admitted she had drank some vodka earlier, police said.
The officer wrote in court papers that “there was no way (Paone) could have cared for her child safely. I don’t know if Paone drove to Sesame Place in her present condition, however, if she and her daughter were going to go into the park they would have had to cross North Buckstown Road and at this hour traffic in that area is heavy.”
Paone is set to have a preliminary hearing before District Judge John Kelly on July 31.
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Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
