CAMBRIDGE, Md. - A Cambridge woman is behind bars following her arrest on multiple child neglect charges.
Cambriddge police said that on Monday, Oct. 3, officers and detectives responded to the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health at Dorchester for a suspected child neglect investigation. Police said the investigation showed that a 17-month-old child was possibly exposed to a controlled dangerous substance at a home on the 600 block of Hubert Street. Dorchester County Emergency Medical Services were called to the home where the child was transported to the hospital for care.
Cambridge police detectives contacted the mother of the child, Ra’Jame Charaka Za’Guan Cooper, at the hospital. Cooper was showing signs of being under the influence of illegal drugs, according to police. Child Protective Services officials were also notified and assisted.
Police said through further investigation it was learned that Cooper was caring for a total of five children all under the age of 10. The ages of the children were 8, 7, 6, 4, and 17 months.
Detectives executed a search and seizure warrant for the home. Police said that during a search of the home, detectives located evidence of illegal drug activity at the home to include packaging and materials used for heroin and fentanyl.
All five children have been placed with another family member. Cooper was arrested by Cambridge police detectives and charged with five counts of neglect of a minor. She is being held without bond in the Dorchester County Department of Corrections.
Further charges may be pending upon further investigation into this incident, police said.
