Scott County woman jailed after children found in road

BENTON - A Scott County woman was arrested after her two children were found wandering on Highway 61 in Benton.

Michelle L. Cox, 25, is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Bond is set at $10,000 and she has been given a court date of Dec. 20.

Scott County Sheriff's Department received a call Sunday morning about two children, ages 3 and 4, playing on the highway. When Sheriff Rick Walter arrived at the scene, he took the children to the Sheriff's office. A case officer of the Division of Family Service was then contacted.

Upon investigation, Officers determined Cox had fallen asleep and the children had left on their own, dressed in blue jeans and shirts, but no shoes. It was reported they had been outside the residence for approximately two hours before being seen by neighbors who contacted the sheriff's department.

According to Walter, this is not the first incident concerning Cox and her children. "There have been at least two other cases this year when the children have been seen wandering around the neighborhood streets unattended," Walter said.

"Not only is this an obvious danger for the children," Walter said, "but what happens to the poor operator of a car driving on U.S. 61 who might strike and injure or kill one or both of these children? Or, the driver who, seeing the children tries to avoid them and has an accident? Such behavior by a parent affects us all and is a criminal matter."