Rome Woman Arrested for Allegedly Leaving 2-Year-Old Home Alone

A Rome woman is facing several charges following an investigation by Rome Police and Oneida County Child Protective Services.

Rome Police say they received a complaint from a concerned caller on Wednesday, May 19th regarding the welfare of a child. Officers responded to a residence on McAvoy Avenue in Rome for a welfare check. Officials say upon arrival, police located a 2-year-old female child who had been left alone at the home. Officers immediately contacted Child Protective Services.

Police say officers waited in the home with the girl for an adult to arrive for approximately two hours and nobody ever showed up. The little girl was then brought to Rome Memorial Hospital for a preventative evaluation and placed in the custody of Oneida County Child Protective Services. An investigation began immediately and officials say the officers learned the mother of the child and the resident of the home on McAvoy Avenue was 38-year-old Jessica Turley. Investigators then attempted to locate Turley.

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Finally, police say they located Turley on Friday, May 21st, 2021 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino. Turley was taken into custody on an unrelated bench warrant. She was also charged with Abandonment of a Child, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and Non-Support of a Child in the first degree. Police say Turley was transported to the Oneida County Correctional Facility for arraignment and ultimately, due to bail reform, was released on her own recognizance. She will appear in court at a later date to answer the charges.