Libby woman charged with felony endangerment
Baby allegedly left in car for over 11 hours
A Libby woman has been charged with criminal endangerment after allegedly leaving her 15-month-old baby in a car for more than 11 hours while she went into a friend’s home, got high and then fell asleep.
Hanna Michelle Hartmann, 21, of Libby, was arrested on July 28 on felony charges of criminal endangerment. If convicted, Hartmann may face a maximum $50,000 fine or 10-year sentence in Montana State Prison. On July 29, Justice of the Peace Jay Sheffield set Hartmann’s bail at $25,000.
Hartmann’s charges stem from the morning of July 17, when a Libby resident called dispatch around 10:30 a.m. to report a child left unattended in a car near their home at the 3 Corners Trailer Park. When Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Boyd White responded to the call, he found that the caller had taken the child from Hartmann’s car, where the caller suspected the child had been left for at least 30 minutes.
White went to the home where Hartmann’s vehicle was parked and spoke with Hartmann after the homeowner woke her up. According to court documents, Hartmann told the deputy that she arrived at the residence around 11 p.m. the night before. When White asked where Hartmann thought her child had been since she arrived almost 12 hours earlier, she responded, “Yeah, in the car,” according to court documents.
Hartmann also reportedly told the deputy that she came to the house, fell asleep after smoking marijuana, but denied using any other drugs. After a family member came to the residence to pick up the infant child, White drove Hartmann to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center for a urine sample that showed the presence of methamphetamine, amphetamine and THC, a component of marijuana. Hartmann then admitted to using meth, which caused her to stay awake for an entire day, according to court documents.
In the court documents, White said he did not arrest Hartmann immediately after the incident because of her cooperation, although she was arrested 11 days later.
Hartmann’s preliminary hearing has been set for Aug. 30.
Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.