Woman Left Loaded Rifle in Crib, Tethered Toddler to Garage, Police Say

A St. Peters woman left a loaded rifle in her 22-month-old baby’s crib, and tethered the toddler to a garage door Monday, St. Peters Police said.

The woman, Cheryl Darlene Dudley, 36, of the 1300 block of Cave Springs Estates Drive, also kept two children in unsanitary conditions, with feces, dirty diapers, dirt, cigarettes and mold on the floor, police said. Prescription medication also was left within the reach of her 7-year-old and the toddler, police said.

Dudley was charged Tuesday with eight counts of child endangerment and one count of child abuse.

St. Peters police said they were notified that Dudley tied her 22-month old toddler around her waist and shoulder in a harness.

When they arrived, the child was not tied with a rope, but officers said Dudley acknowledged tying the child with a rope to keep him from going out into the street.

St. Peters Police said officers walked through the home and said they reported the following conditions in the home:

• Prescription pills were left on a dresser in the toddler’s bedroom. The woman said she probably put them there because she found them on the floor. She wasn’t sure what they were, but had stolen them from her mother and brother because she hoped it would help her sleep, police reported.
• A loaded rifle was in the child’s crib. Dudley told officers she had heard noises outside and loaded the rifle and placed it in the crib because she was too tired to put it away properly.
• The toddler had flea bites and dog scratches on the arms, legs and torso because five dogs in the home had fleas. Animal Control removed the dogs from the home due to the conditions.
• The floor was covered in dog feces, dirt, mold and cigarettes.
• The refrigerator was operational, but smelled strongly of spoiled food and had a brown substance covering the inside of the door and floor of the refrigerator.
• Soiled diapers, feces, mold and cigarettes were on the basement floor.
• The 22-month-old child had bruises on her right leg. Police said the bruises appeared to be from a hand, with small bruises the size of fingers.

Dudley is being held in St. Charles County jail. Bail was set at $30,000, cash only.