Woman jailed for felony child endangerment

Auburn, Calif.- An Auburn woman was arrested on felony child endangerment and drug charges when Placer County Sheriff”s deputies found her children sick and exposed to drugs in their north Auburn apartment Saturday.

Samantha Jackson, 23, was booked at the Placer County Jail Saturday afternoon after deputies responded to an anonymous report of children playing outside, unattended, while the mother was inside ‘shooting up.’ Once inside the apartment, deputies described the living conditions as ‘extremely dirty; the floor covered with old food, clothes and garbage.’

Jackson’s 4-year-old son was described as ‘very thin’ and his legs were covered in sores. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The woman’s two daughters were also in the home – a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old infant, who was found strapped into a car seat in front of a television in an upstairs bedroom. The baby’s crib was full of garbage, clothes and a lawn chair, deputies reported.

Two men were found upstairs in the apartment, but neither was determined to be living there. Inside the woman’s bedroom, deputies found a kit containing syringes and a spoon with a white substance that tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine.

All three children were taken into protective custody by deputies and released to Child Protective Services. Jackson is being held on $50,000 bail and was charged with felony child endangerment likely to cause great bodily harm, felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of hypodermic needles.

‘The anonymous caller who reported this situation is a true hero. Their actions may very well have saved the lives of these small children,’ said Lt. Jeff Ausnow. ‘I would encourage more people to get involved and do the right thing.’