Deputies, Fire Department Members, and Citizens Assist in Locating Child’s Parent

starPike County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Charles S. Reader

Pike County’s 41st Sheriff

116 S. Market St. Waverly, Ohio

740-947-2111


Sheriff Charles S. Reader reports that on Saturday July 4th, 2015 Deputies from the Pike County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a two (2) year old child that had been located wandering around the streets alone in the Beaver, Ohio area. Deputies , along with the help of local citizens and the Beaver Fire Department, searched house to house through the neighborhoods until the child’s mother, Vanessa Tatum, was located several hours after the search began. Deputies questioned Tatum and learned that her frequent substance abuse played a factor in the child’s disappearance from his home earlier that afternoon. During questioning, Tatum admitted to consuming alcohol and abusing narcotics the night before, causing her to fall into a deep sleep and pass out. Pike County Children’s Services were brought to the scene to continue the investigation, where they discovered that Tatum had several illegal narcotics in her system. The child was transferred into foster care for a thirty (30) day program as a result of this incident. Tatum is currently incarcerated in the Scioto County Jail and charged with one (1) count of Child Endangering. The Pike County Sheriff’s Office greatly appreciates the cooperation and joint effort put forth by the residents of Beaver, and the Beaver Fire Department personnel.