By Ray King
A report that an infant had been found alone on the parking lot of a Pine Bluff motel Thursday night resulted in the arrest of two women.
Monika King, 40, and Constince King, 18, were taken into custody after police were sent to the Sunbridge Inn at 4600 Dollarway Road just after 11:30 p.m.
Detective Corey Wilfong said in a probable cause affidavit presented in court Friday that a man reported stepping out of his room and finding an infant approximately two-years-old on the parking lot. The man told police he knocked on the doors of several rooms trying to find out where the infant came from and when he knocked on a particular door, the infant cried and wanted to go in.
Deputy Prosecutor Jay Girard said during the court hearing that officers were able to enter the room where they found Monika King apparently asleep on a bed. He said officers finally were able to awaken her and reported that she had an odor of intoxicants.
Early Friday morning, Wilfong reported that he questioned Constince King who said she had rented a room for Monika King and the infant and took the infant to McDonald’s to get food, She said she was gone for about 10 minutes before going back to the room. Constince King said she knew Monika King was intoxicated but left the infant with her anyway.
Girard said that Monika King was not interviewed because she was intoxicated.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth ruled Friday that prosecutors have probable cause to charge both Monika King and Constince King with endangering the welfare of a minor. At Girard’s request, she released the two on their own recognizance and ordered them to have no contact with the infant until the case is settled.
