New Britain woman charged with child endangerment

Allegedly assaulted her children and locked them in outdoor shed

NEW BRITAIN — A Bucks County woman has been charged with felony child endangerment after allegations she beat and assaulted her children and locked them in an outdoor shed last winter.

Heather Marie Riddle, 41, of New Britain, has been charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child, plus related offenses, following a six-month investigation by the New Britain Township Police Department, according to reporting by North Penn Now. She is currently being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of 10% of $50,000 cash bail.

An investigation began in January after the Bucks County Office of Children and Youth was notified of allegations of domestic violence between Riddle and a partner, according to court documents.

Two children, both under 8 years old, were interviewed at the time, with the oldest saying that Riddle made them scared and would hurt them, and the youngest saying they did not want to talk.

In November 2022, one child told investigators, Riddle held a knife to the face of both children, then took them outside and locked them in a shed behind their home; the children begged to be let out, but Riddle held a lighter up, threatened to burn the shed down, then said she was going to bed and “hoped they died in the cold,” according to court documents.

The two remained in the shed for roughly an hour, and the older child gave their jacket to their younger child as the two huddled together to stay warm, according to North Penn Now.

Riddle is also alleged to have punched one of the children in the face and smashed their head into a wall, according to court documents; a second interview with the younger child later corroborated the older child’s allegations, according to the documents.

Both children remain in foster care, and Riddle was officially charged on June 15 and taken into custody and arraigned on June 27, with her preliminary hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. July 11 before Magisterial District Judge Regina Armitage.

A review of court records by North Penn Now shows Riddle has an extensive criminal history dating back to 2002, when she was arrested in Bristol Township on charges of terroristic threats, simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment. Riddle has had multiple convictions since then, mostly for misdemeanor charges of simple assault, trespassing, false incrimination, criminal mischief, retail theft, and related offenses.

Most recently, Riddle was sentenced to seven years’ probation in January 2022 as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors on two felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child and misdemeanor counts of DUI, resisting arrest, reckless endangerment, driving on a suspended license, and careless driving.

Riddle was on probation at the time of her arrest on the new charges.