BRIGANTINE, N.J. — A Ventnor City woman has been charged with child endangerment after she was found unconscious from alcohol consumption while the toddler she was hired to care for was discovered wandering alone outside in the frigid cold, police said.
The incident occurred on January 13, 2025, around 12:33 p.m., when a concerned neighbor contacted the Brigantine Police Department after spotting the unaccompanied child outside their residence. Recognizing the toddler as a neighbor, the caller brought the child indoors for safety.
Upon returning the child to his home, the neighbor found the babysitter, identified as 35-year-old Jena Davidson, unconscious and unresponsive inside the residence. Responding officers from the Brigantine Police Department and emergency personnel from Brigantine Fire and EMS provided medical aid before transporting Davidson to a hospital.
The toddler’s parent was immediately notified and returned home from work. During the investigation, authorities learned that Davidson had been hired through a popular online childcare platform. It was determined that she had consumed a significant amount of alcohol from the family’s home, leading to her incapacitation.
Davidson was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, according to Officer Sofield.
Police are asking anyone with additional information regarding the incident to contact the Brigantine Police Department at (609) 266-7414.