FARGO — A Fargo woman faces a felony count of child neglect for allegedly leaving six children with the body of an acquaintance who died from an overdose.
Amber Marlene Barrett, 32, is also charged with a misdemeanor count of duty to report a death.
According to documents filed Wednesday, Jan. 15, in Cass County District Court:
Police were called Nov. 16 to a home in the 3300 block of 18th Street South on a report of an unresponsive man.
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Police were let into the home by six juveniles who directed officers to an unresponsive man lying on the floor in the living room. The ages of the children were not known, and it isn't clear how many of them were residents of the home.
An officer started CPR, but after some time was spent trying to revive the man, medics pronounced him dead.
At least two of the juveniles were residents of the home and told police they believed the deceased was a friend of their mother, identified in a police report as Barrett.
Police contacted Barrett who came back to the home and spoke with an officer.
Barrett told the officer she and the deceased had gone to a grocery store together earlier that day. And based on the fact he was sweating heavily and slurring his words, she believed he was likely overdosing, she said.
She told police she let her friend sleep on her floor and when she checked on him later she discovered he was dead.
Barrett told police she left the house to go to work, leaving the six children with the deceased.
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Court records did not list an attorney for Barrett, who was not in custody at the Cass County Jail on Wednesday.
