A call that resulted in an arrest for public drunkenness could have much deeper ramifications, according to a report filed by the Commerce Police Department.
An officer charged Tina Lynn Coleman, 40, of 29 Cotton Street with public drunkenness and drinking in public after responding to a call at a Cotton Street address.
There, occupants of one house complained that Coleman had come across the street to that house to argue with a woman there.
The officer noted that all the adults in the house except an 18-year-old appeared to be intoxicated.
He found Coleman, the report said, sitting on the tailgate drinking a 40-ounce beer.
But his main concern was in the house, where he said he saw four small children. With the permission of the owner, he opened the refrigerator, where he found a case of beer and, in the freezer, a large bottle of whiskey — but no food or beverages for the children.
In addition, the officer noted three large dogs and observed that dog feces were on the floors in the bedroom and bathroom. He also said he noticed dirty dishes in the kitchen sink that had been there long enough to grow mold.
“I asked the owner if he was concerned for his children’s safety or well-being, and he stated yes, but he knew he had a drinking problem," the officer wrote. He also noted that Coleman is the mother of the owner of the house, and that the call to the residence was the third in recent days, all involving alcohol.
The officer’s report indicated that he intended to follow up with the Department of Family and Children Services over the conditions in which the children lived.
