Limerick mom faces jail for endangering kids
NORRISTOWN » A Limerick woman faces some time behind bars after she admitted to a charge of endangering the welfare of her four children.
Lauren Olson, 33, of the 600 block of West Ridge Pike, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to nine to 23 months in the county jail after she pleaded guilty to the felony charge in connection with incidents that occurred in 2015.
Judge Thomas P. Rogers, who accepted a plea agreement in the case, also ordered Olson to complete four years’ probation after she’s paroled, meaning Olson will be under court supervision for about six years. The judge also ordered Olson to complete parenting and anger management counseling programs.
“What happened to these kids is a tragedy. This is a serious case inwhich the kids were exposed to danger and were physically abused,” alleged Assistant District Attorney Matthew Britten-burg, referring to details contained in an affidavit of probable cause. “The most important thing is protecting the children.”
Any contact Olson has with her children in the future will be monitored by officials of the county’s Office of Children and Youth Services, according to the plea agreement.
Olson, who has been in jail since June 2015, is still awaiting court action on robbery and conspiracy-related charges in Philadelphia in connection with an unrelated incident.
Court documents in- dicate the Montgomery County investigation began in May 2015, after a teenage girl reported to her school counselor that Olson physically abused her by striking her several times in the head. School officials, doctors and investigators noticed bruising to the girl’s back and tenderness to her scalp. The girl was diagnosed with a mild concussion, according to the criminal complaint filed by Limerick Detective Ernie Morris.
The investigation included an examination of Olson’s home by police and caseworkers fromthe county’s Office of Children and Youth Services. Officials observed marijuana “roaches” in ash trays and Olson allegedly admitted to using marijuana, according to the criminal complaint.
The children told investigators that Olson’s boy- friend had guns in the home that were easily accessible. The four children reported being in fear of their mother and the physical abuse.
Britten-burg praised the investigation that was conducted by Morris who worked in conjunction with former Assistant District Attorney Sophia Polites, who has since left the district attorney’s office.
“They immediately recognized how serious the case was. They took immediate action to protect the children,” Britten-burg said.
The children were interviewed by counselors of Mission Kids, Montgomery County’s child advocacy facility where medical professionals, social workers, police officers and attorneys come together to streamline the investigative process and provide victims with the necessary support services to help them heal.