A California man, Jason Warren, was arrested after he allegedly paid a homeless woman to watch his 7-year-old granddaughter while he got drunk at a bar. He was found by deputies claiming his grandchild had been kidnapped for human trafficking, which prompted a passerby to contact the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. Upon arrival, deputies found Warren highly intoxicated and he explained that he had given the homeless woman $20 to take the girl to a thrift store while he drank at the bar.
The homeless woman, Lauren Jope, was referred to as a “guardian angel” by the sheriff’s office. Jope stated that she was initially apprehensive about taking on the responsibility but felt confident that the girl would be safe with her. Warren had paid her to accompany the child and Jope eventually took the girl to her camp to get some food, feeling that Warren was not capable of caring for his granddaughter in his intoxicated state. The girl was found unharmed and in good condition when located by authorities.
Jason Warren was arrested and charged with felony child endangerment, with a bail set at $75,000. Despite his actions, Warren maintained that he had not done anything wrong and claimed to have sought God’s will in his actions. He stated that he would still entrust the homeless woman with his granddaughter as he believed she was a decent person. The child’s aunt, who had full custody of her, had asked Warren to watch her that day as she was working.
Warren expressed confidence in the homeless woman’s ability to care for his granddaughter, even though he did not know her personally. He described Jope as being around 28 to 30 years old and believed her character reflected that of a trustworthy individual. Despite the circumstances of the incident, Warren was adamant that he had acted properly and that his decision was guided by a sense of faith and trust in the homeless woman. The case highlighted the dangers of leaving a child in the care of strangers, especially when under the influence of alcohol.