Marshall was arraigned this morning in Middletown Municipal Court along with Lee Johnson, who was also allegedly overdosed in the house and is facing child endangering charges. Visiting Judge Robert Messham Jr. upped bond against both to $50,000.
After consulting with her court-appointed attorney, Marshall pleaded guilty to both child endangering charges and was sentenced to 180 days in the Middletown City Jail, according to court officials. She was also fined $200. A disorderly conduct charge was dismissed.
Johnson remains housed in the Middletown jail in lieu of $50,000 bond. He is scheduled to be back in court next week for a pre-trial hearing.
INITIAL REPORT:
Bond was increased this morning for a Middletown man and woman who overdosed Thursday while two children, one an infant, were in their house.
Chelsie Marshall, 24, and Lee Johnson, 25, of Hill Avenue, are both charged with two counts of misdemeanor child endangering and disorderly conduct.
A 5-year-old boy walked two blocks to his step-grandfather’s house at about 5 a.m. to say his parents were dead, according to Middletown police.
Officers found Marshall and Johnson overdosed on heroin. A 3-month-old girl was also found in the home, crying in a car seat in the living room, according to the police report.
Visiting Middletown Municipal Court Judge Robert Messham Jr. said he did not believe the original bond of $7,500 was sufficient and raise bond for both Marshall and Johnson to $50,000.
Johnson, who had posted the previous lower bond and was sitting in the courtroom before his arraignment, was taken back to Middletown City Jail.
Marshall and Johnson both said they could not afford attorneys and one was appointed for them. Their next court date has not yet been set.
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After they were found on the floor, Marshall and Johnson were revived by paramedics.
Johnson admitted to police that he was using heroin, according to a police report. He was handcuffed and placed in a police cruiser.
Officers found a white residue on a chair, which was collected and sent for analysis, according to the report.
The situation could have been “10 times worse,” Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw said. “Anybody should be appalled.”
Officers brought the young boy and infant back to the police department after the incident. The boy was given a badge “for being so brave,” according to police.
Muterspaw called the boy “a little hero,” adding that it was dark and he was barefoot when he left the house.
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