Police: Tulsa Mother Left Baby In Hot Car While Hiding From DHS

Police arrested a woman they say left her one-year-old son in a hot car while trying to hide from DHS on Friday afternoon.

Officers identify the woman as Jessica Paine, 36. 

Police said they were sent to an apartment complex near 51st and Delaware at about 3 p.m. on Friday, July 21, 2017 at the request of the Department of Human Services to help remove a child. The arresting officer said Paine saw police and went back inside her apartment, refusing to answer the door. 

Officers and the DHS worker left the apartment. About the 30 minutes later, the DHS worker reported to police she saw Paine leave the apartment, put the baby in a carrier, then run 70 yards to her car which was parked in a business lot. The DHS worker told police Paine drove in circles around the apartment complex, then backed into a fence.

The DHS worker said Paine then locked the car and ran into another apartment, leaving the baby in the car for at least a minute. Police returned to the area and found Paine parked at the Hobby Lobby. The first officer on scene wrote that as he approached her car she threw a pink coin purse out the window. The officer said he had to use his car to keep her from driving away. He and other officers arrested her. 

Police said the coin purse contained syringes and a baggie with a crystal-like substance inside. They said Paine had numerous track marks on her hands and arms, bloodshot eyes and was making irrational statements.

They said she had tried to change the number on her apartment as well as the number on her car's license plate.

DHS took custody of the baby and police booked Paine into jail on complaints of child endangerment, drug possession and drug paraphernalia possession.