Des Moines Mother Takes Toddler to Bar, Punches Police Officer

Police in Des Moines were called out to Miss V's Honky Tonk Island on Wednesday afternoon after the bartender reported a woman in denim shorts and bikini top was not supervising her child.

25-year-old Mary J. Carpenter was found to be highly intoxicated and was allowing her 2-year-old to crawl and roll around on the bar floor. When confronted by the bartender, Carpenter slammed her drink down, swore, and then left the bar.

A witness followed Carpenter who then abandoned the child in a stroller and ran. She returned once police arrived, she was upset and under the influence of alcohol and possibly another substance. The mother was placed in custody and police found a partial bottle of vodka in the stroller. Her BAC was 0.183.

Police allowed Carpenter to sit with her child in the squad car while waiting on a family member. Officers noticed she had slipped out of her handcuffs and they took the child from her. Carpenter, then even more upset, punch an officer in the face.

She is facing charges of child endangerment, assault on a police officer, and public intoxication.

Read more at KWQC.