By: Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — The mother of a 2-year-old boy, who was found wandering in the street in the 2100 block of N. Crescent in Stillwater, has been arraigned on a child neglect charge and freed on a personal recognizance bond pending an Oct. 5 court appearance at which she can seek a preliminary hearing on the felony charge.
Katrina Marie Brouse, 24, “was asleep when officers made contact and had no idea her son was not in the home,” at 11:15 a.m. on April 7 — two hours and 15 minutes after the toddler was found, Stillwater Police Officer Rachel Bruce alleged in an affidavit.
When Brouse was notified that the state Department of Human Services had been granted emergency custody of her 2-year-old, “Her affect was very flat and the news that she would not see her child for several days did not elicit an outward emotional reaction,” the affidavit alleged.
“Brouse reported she had been up late the night before and had ‘a bad night.’ She reported she suffered from anxiety, depression and panic attacks,” the affidavit alleged.
“Brouse stated in the past he had only been outside for one or two minutes before she noticed and he had never left the front yard…Brouse denied any illegal drug use. She reported she was prescribed Paxil for anxiety,” the affidavit alleged.
“Brouse said her husband had been working in McAlester, Ok., and was not at home the previous night,” the affidavit said.
A Stillwater man, who also lived in the house and left at 6:30 am for work, was not surprised when he learned the toddler had been found outside the home, the affidavit alleged.
“He reported he had significant concerns regarding Brouse’s supervision of (the toddler),” the affidavit alleged. He said he did not have these concerns when the boy’s father was home “because Brouse conducted herself differently when he was present,” the affidavit alleged.
He said “he unlocked the chain (on the front door) when he left for work and had no way to re-engage the chain from the outside,” the affidavit alleged.
He “expressed frustration with Brouse and stated she did not do a good job of watching,” the toddler, the affidavit alleged.
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