Sonora PD Press release re:child endangerment arrest

4 January 2012, at approx. 1:54 pm, Officers from the Sonora Police Department and a worker from Tuolumne County Department of Child Welfare Services went to a residence on the 300 block of Hospital Rd. to conduct a welfare check on some children, which child Welfare Services had an open case on. The reason for the visit was to confirm the children were in a safe environment.
Officers quickly located a mirror which had a large amount of a white crystal substance on it. The substance tested positive as being methamphetamine. Packaged methamphetamine was also located within reach of the children in the residence, along with open containers of alcoholic beverages. The father of the children, Juan Herrera, 29 of Sonora, admitted the methamphetamine belonged to him.

As the Child Welfare Services work and Officers continued their investigation, they noted that the backyard and basement of the residence contained a large amount of trash and areas of pooled raw sewage. There were bags of rotting trash under the house, in the kitchen, in the laundry room and in the backyard. There was spoiled food on the kitchen table and counters. The floors of the residence were extremely dirty and some were covered with dirty clothing.
Child Welfare Services took custody of the two children, an 8 year old girl and a 4 month old girl. Herrera was placed under arrest without incident and transported to the Tuolumne County Jail and booked for felony child endangerment and felony possession of a controlled substance. The investigation into this matter is continuing.