16 November 2023- A Chambersburg mother is facing charges following her seven year old daughter walking to a nearby home with a heartbreaking sign. Nicodia Simone Samuels is charged with three counts of felony child endangerment. She is currently free on an unsecured bail of $25,000.
Around 8:45pm on November 8th, Chambersburg PD were dispatched to a home on Lantern Lane in the borough for a found person. That caller was able to tell police that a seven year old girl had arrived at her home with only a t-shirt, jeans, and no shoes. That day’s high temperature was recorded at 59 degrees Fahrenheit, with lows reaching below 40 degrees. The child, however, did allegedly have a sign that said “Please adopt me my mother hits me I have no home. My school is (unknown). My mom broke my iPad”.
When police arrived, they asked the juvenile girl if she could walk them to her residence. When police arrived there, the reportedly found the door partially open and no adults inside. They were, however, able to find the name of Nicodia Samuels on the utility file of the home and she was contacted. Samuels allegedly told police that she was “at a neighbor’s residence and was headed back home”. Inside of the home, as well, police found a 2 year old child holding onto a baby gate and unattended.
Samuels arrived back home about 15 minutes later. When police asked her what was going on here, she reportedly responded with “nothing” and walked inside the house. Once inside, she asked police what happened, with her not realizing her daughter left the home unattended. Police reportedly questioned Samuels, with her telling them that she was getting items left behind at an old apartment “up the road”. It was later determined that “up the road” was Hot Point Commons in Shippensburg, Cumberland County. The children were left unattended for at least 45 minutes, but police specify that the incident was called in at 8:45pm and Samuels arrived back at the home at 9:45pm.
Police also say that Samuels admitted she left her children unattended, but reportedly said that her children were asleep so she thought she could leave. Police specify in their report that “it is unknown what time Samuels left her home or how long (her 7 year old child) wondered the neighborhood.
Nicodia Samuels is free on an unsecured bail of $25,000. Her preliminary hearing is set for November 28th.
Sources: Docket Number: MJ-39201-CR-0000395-2023, Incident No.: C202312842
