Man Arrested for Child Endangerment After Leaving Granddaughter with Homeless Woman [Sacramento, CA]

SACRAMENTO, CA (May 8, 2024) — A man was arrested in Sacramento, California, for child endangerment after leaving his 7-year-old granddaughter with a homeless woman while he went to drink at a bar. 

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office responded to a situation on Monday around 7:45 p.m. in a bar parking lot after receiving a distress call about a potential kidnapping for human trafficking.

The man, identified as 54-year-old Jason Warren, was found to be highly intoxicated by the responding deputies. Warren explained that he had paid a homeless woman, Lauren Jope, $20 to take his granddaughter to a thrift store so he could visit the bar. He reportedly spent about four hours at the bar.

Surveillance footage showed Jope leaving with the child. The situation escalated with a sheriff’s helicopter broadcasting announcements to locate the child. Jope, hearing her and the child’s descriptions over the loudspeaker, returned to the parking lot with the girl. Jope told deputies that she felt compelled to take care of the child, who appeared to be inadequately supervised, and took her to get food at her camp.

The child was found to be unharmed and was not in distress, confirming Jope’s account to the deputies. She was medically cleared as a precaution.

This Sacramento child endangerment incident raises serious concerns about child safety and the judgment of guardians under the influence of alcohol.