Soldier's widow charged as 2 year old found alone

Mother of tot found wandering is Iraq widow

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Mar 26, 2008 13:09:03 EDT

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — A Belleville woman charged with letting her 2-year-old son wander alone in 40-degree weather wearing only a diaper is the widow of a man killed while serving in Iraq.

Thelma Straughter’s husband, Missouri National Guard Specialist Matthew Straughter, died Jan. 31 when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his vehicle in Iraq, a day before his 28th birthday.

St. Clair County prosecutors charged 28-year-old Thelma Straughter with misdemeanor child endangerment on Monday after a motorist found her toddler walking down a street.

The child had scratches on his feet but was otherwise uninjured.

The boy and his two siblings are staying with grandparents.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/03/ap_widow_wanderingtoddler_032608/