Plea offer rejected

Police say children found in suspect's vehicle trunk

Camille Marie Hancock
Camille Marie Hancock

A woman facing child endangerment charges for allegedly driving with two 12-year-olds in her car's trunk turned down a plea offer from the state Friday at a hearing in a Bowie County courtroom.

Camille Marie Hancock, 37, appeared Friday morning before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell with Public Defender Clayton Haas. After Tidwell was told that Hancock had decided to decline an offer from the state that would include a term of probation and likely drug treatment, the judge scheduled Hancock to return to court next month.

Should a jury find Hancock guilty, she faces six months to two years in a state jail on each of three felonies; two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor and a single count of drug possession.

Hancock has been in custody since April 7 when she was stopped by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper near the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and Farm to Market Road 2148. Hancock allegedly brought her passenger car to an illegal stop in the intersection before disregarding a red traffic light, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account.

As Trooper Jonathon Baldwin approached the car, he allegedly saw Hancock "reaching in and out of her purse in a frantic motion."

People in Hancock's car included a "young adult male front passenger, a young adult female passenger, an infant in a rear facing car seat not fastened by a seat belt, and a young female passenger with a toddler in her lap unsecured," the affidavit states.

Baldwin noted a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car. Hancock allegedly admitted to smoking moments earlier while the toddler and baby were also in the car.

"Hancock was extremely nervous and I observed her to demonstrate several tics and body tremors throughout the interview," the affidavit states.

Tics and body tremors are symptoms associated with methamphetamine abuse. Hancock was allegedly in possession of a useable amount of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

While Hancock was being placed under arrest on two outstanding warrants, she reportedly informed the trooper that two 12-year-old boys were in the trunk of her car. Baldwin immediately opened the trunk and the boys were found lying down.

"Hancock would later inform me she had traveled from Queen City, Texas, enroute to Texarkana with the boys laying down in the trunk of the car," the affidavit states. "Hancock stated she was giving a ride to the two adults and infant and had placed the two boys in the trunk for convenience."

Hancock allegedly admitted to having used meth and marijuana both before and during the drive, and she allegedly conceded that she was aware of the risk of injury or death to the boys created by allowing them to ride in the trunk of a car.

Court records show Hancock was arrested on warrants issued in connection with misdemeanor charges of driving while her license was invalid and failure to appear in court. Hancock's bail on each of the endangerment charges is set at $100,000 and bail on the charge of possession of methamphetamine under one gram is set at $30,000, for a total bail of $230,000.

 

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