Mendocino Sheriff issues press release on felony child endangerment arrests
Originally published by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office on January 1, 2020:
“On 12-31-2019 at approximately 8:00 PM, Mendocino County Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a 911 hang up that originated from the area of the 21000 block of North Petaluma Avenue in Fort Bragg, California.
Deputies arrived and began checking the area for signs of distress. Deputies located three juveniles (age 9 years, 23 months, and 7 months) screaming and crying from within a residence. Deputies entered the residence to check the welfare of the children and could not find a parent or guardian within the home. Deputies confirmed the 9 year-old male called 911 for assistance.
Deputies observed that the conditions in the home were unsanitary, unsafe, and posed life safety hazards to the children.
Deputies determined the children had been left, unattended, for an extended period of time. Due to the hazardous conditions the children were found in, Mendocino County Child Protective Services Social Workers arrived and took emergency protective custody of the children.
Deputies were able to identify the parents of the children as Angela Ariaz and Joshua Shaun Ethier.
At approximately 10:10 PM, Deputies responded to a bar in the 100 block of East Redwood Avenue in Fort Bragg, where they located Ariaz who was highly intoxicated.
Ariaz was arrested for 273a(a) PC (Felony Child Endangerment), without incident.
At approximately 10:15 PM, Deputies responded to a bar in the 300 block of North Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, where they located Ethier, who also had been drinking.
Ethier was arrested for 273a(a) PC (Felony Child Endangerment), without incident.
Due to the severity of this investigation, a Mendocino County Superior Court Judge was contacted and briefed on this investigation. The Superior Court Judge ordered a bail enhancement, which was set at $150,000.00 for both Ariaz and Ethier.
Ariaz and Ethier were booked into the Mendocino County Jail where they were both to be held in lieu of $150,000.00 bail.”
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