2 Fairmont mothers charged with child neglect

Two Fairmont mothers have been charged with child neglect in separate incidents.

Elizabeth Mae Nielsen, 22, was charged in Martin County Court on January 3 with neglect of a child, a gross misdemeanor.

According to Neilsen’s criminal complaint:

Two women – one the roommate of Nielsen – came to the lobby of the Fairmont Police Department on Dec 30 with a toddler boy to report possible child neglect.

Police say the child smelled strongly of urine and his diaper was so soiled it was leaking through his clothing.

The roommate told investigators she had to work at 10 p.m. that night, but Nielsen wanted to go out with friends.  Neilson told the roommate to put the child to bed when she went to work and lock the apartment.  She suggested that the roommate give an apartment key to the neighbor to stop in and check on the child.  The roommate instead went to police.

The roommate also said that after working the overnight shift, she’d picked Nielsen up that morning at the home of a friend.  When they returned to the apartment, it appeared the toddler had been left alone overnight while Neilsen was out with friends.

According to the roommate, it was common for Neilsen to leave the child home alone when she went to the store.

Neilsen denied leaving the child alone.

Also charged in Martin County Court with gross misdemeanor child neglect was 30-year-old Tania Elizabeth Vazquez Perez. Vazquez Perez is also facing charges of child endangerment, DWI, and giving a peace officer a false name.

According to Vazquez Perez’s criminal complaint:

A gas station employee called 911 on the evening of December 31 to report that a woman smelling of alcohol had been in the store with a child.  The employee said the woman had headed towards McDonald’s.

Vazquez Perez’s vehicle was crookedly parked in McDonald’s and had beer cans in the front seat.  Police found her inside the restaurant.

Police say Vazquez Perez smelled strongly of alcohol but denied drinking. She failed field sobriety tests and was arrested.  A relative was called to pick up the children, ages eight and two. A breath test put her blood-alcohol concentration at .12.

Vazquez Perez gave police a false name and identification card but was ultimately identified by the relative who came to pick up the children.  She had a warrant for her arrest.

When another relative questioned where Vazquez Perez’s 10-year-old wheelchair-bound child was, one of the children said she was at home.  Police and relatives went to check on the girl, who was sitting on a bed in a back bedroom.

Court documents say the child has a congenital condition that makes her unable to use her legs.  The child had surgery recently and said she had not been moved from the bed since she had returned home from surgery.  Police say the girl would not have been able to escape if there had been an emergency. She was taken to a relative’s home.

Police say Vazquez Perez’s home had garbage strewn throughout the house and the floors, counters, and couches were dirty.