Judge sentences woman who overdosed with grandson in car
The West Virginia grandmother who was found unconscious from an apparent drug overdose in the front seat of an SUV as her four-year-old grandson sat in the backseat has been found guilty of child endangerment.
EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio - The West Virginia grandmother who was found unconscious from an apparent drug overdose in the front seat of an SUV as her four-year-old grandson sat in the backseat was found guilty of child endangerment.
50-year-old Rhonda Pasek was immediately sentenced to 180 days in jail and given a $280 fine after her attorney entered a plea of "no contest" on her behalf in an East Liverpool courtroom Thursday morning. 180 days is the maximum sentence for the crime of child endangerment in Ohio.
Pasek's public defender Stacey Alejars says Pasek was remorseful.
"She didn't want to waste anyone's time. She understood the severity of what happened. She just wanted to have it done with, do her time and move forward," said Alejars.
Pasek and 47-year-old James Lee Accord were both in the front seat of the SUV unconscious when an off duty East Liverpool police officer arrived on-scene and snapped a picture of them sitting with their heads back and mouths open. The child could be seen in the backseat.
The picture went viral after the department posted it online. East Liverpool police have since defended the decision to post the pictures as a way of illustrating how bad the heroin/opiate epidemic is in East Liverpool.
"We are doing what we can to address the issue, but it is beyond the means of law enforcement to resolve it all," said Columbiana County's assistant prosecutor John Gamble.
Acord, who was the driver of the vehicle, had earlier told police he was taking Pasek to the hospital.
Police say eventually both of the adults were completely unconscious in the car and had to be revived using Narcan. Narcan is commonly used to reverse an opiate overdose.
Acord, who was convicted of child endangering and a traffic violation, was sentenced to a year in jail.
21 News reporter Danielle Cotterman reported Wednesday night that the child will be taken to another state to live. Danielle spoke with the child’s great-aunt who said the picture doesn't depict how the young child has been brought up.
The child’s great-grandfather and great-grandmother who are in their 80’s, had the child for several years. They told us they suggested to a court that the boy be handed over to his great-aunt and great-uncle when taking care of the four-year-old became too difficult for them. However the judge ruled that the child be placed in the custody of Rhonda Pasek.
Now the child has been turned over to the great-aunt and great-uncle.
The family also expressed frustration that the city released the image without protecting the child’s identity. East Liverpool police have said the picture is a public record and legally they can’t alter it. The photo posted by 21 News has been edited to blur out the child’s face.
