Brookfield man accused of child endangering
A Brookfield man has entered a “not guilty” plea after being charged with child endangering for a second time in less than three years.
Two fourth-degree child endangering felony charges were filed against 34-year-old Jerami Wells of Addison Road, after police say he left a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son alone at his apartment while he walked to a convenience store less than a half mile away.
A neighbor called 911 about 6 p.m. on March 20 to report that a 5-year-old was running alone outside with no shoes and no coat with temperatures in the mid 30s.
The neighbor told police that she found Wells’ apartment door open with music blaring, but nobody was home. She had been staying with the child for about 20 minutes, the 911 report stated.
Wells arrived from walking to a South Irvine Avenue drive-through, saying he was gone for five or 10 minutes. The 2-year-old was safe, but Wells told officers he didn’t think he did anything wrong.
The children were turned over to their mother and Wells was taken to Trumbull County Jail.
On March 21 in Brookfield court, Wells pleaded “not guilty” via video hookup with the jail. Acting Judge Andrew Suhar set bond at $2,500 and if Wells makes it, he is ordered not to have contact with the children.
Wells is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on March 28 in Trumbull Eastern District Court in Brookfield.