Mother arrested on drug, child neglect charges

A McMinnville woman is facing charges after her 2-year-old son was found roaming unattended outside her apartment.

Sgt. Tim Symons identified her as Hope Ashley Clark, 25, of 201 S.W. Agee St., No. 14. She was arraigned before Circuit Court Judge Ronald Stone on one count each of second-degree child neglect, endangering the welfare of a minor and frequenting a place where a controlled substance is used, in addition to two counts of possession of a controlled substance/heroin and methamphetamine.

The charges are a combination of felonies and misdemeanors. Stone granted her a conditional release pending disposition of the case.

Symons gave this account:

Officers responded to the residence about 1 p.m. and learned the toddler had been unattended outside for about one hour. When they awoke Clark inside and asked her where her son was, she told them she didn’t know.

Several tenants told police this was not an isolated incident. They said the child had been left outside unattended on multiple occasions.

A search of the apartment turned up marijuana, meth, drug paraphernalia and a substance believed to be heroin. The drugs were within easy reach of the toddler, who was placed in the custody of a relative by the state Department of Human Services.

Clark is due back in court at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12.

Anyone with information about Clark’s recent activity, as it might relate to the case, is asked to contact officer Jared Wiebold at 503-434-7307 or jared.wiebold@ci.mcminnville.or.us.