Charges: Mother covered in vomit left baby with random neighbor

A Mankato mother is facing charges after she allegedly left her baby with a random neighbor.

Deanna Joy Geyer, 32, was charged Wednesday in Blue Earth County Court with child neglect and child endangerment, both gross misdemeanors.

A criminal complaint says Geyer knocked on her neighbor’s door just before 11 p.m. Tuesday night.  The neighbor opened her door to find Geyer lying on the ground holding a baby.  Geyer began to vomit all over herself and the baby, according to the complaint. She allegedly handed the child to the neighbor and went back to her own apartment.

The neighbor told police she had only seen Geyer in passing in the hallways, and she wasn’t sure of the baby’s age or gender.  She had not previously arranged to watch the child, according to the charging document.  The neighbor was concerned Geyer might overdose or need medical care.

Police say the 15-month-old baby was screaming, crying, and wearing clothing soiled in vomit that did not appear to be from the child. The baby also had a full diaper that appeared it hadn’t been changed in a “considerable amount of time.”

Geyer allegedly told police she had gotten drunk and puked. She said she took the baby to her neighbor’s to take a nap, but couldn’t tell officers the name of the neighbor, according to the complaint.

Police say Geyer smelled of alcohol and became argumentative and refused to help police find clean clothing and a diaper.  Investigators said her house was dark with no lighting and there was a large amount of vomit on the floor.  Police also found items in the home that could create a hazard for a small child.

Geyer was transported to a hospital for evaluation.  Her blood-alcohol concentration was at .12, and she had methamphetamine in her system according to the complaint.

The baby was turned over to child protective services.

Geyer was transported to detox.