Woman Sentenced for Endangering Child

A Michigan woman arrested earlier this week when police discovered her 18-month-old son playing on the floor of a Canoga Park motel room littered with drug paraphernalia, has been sentenced to 45 days in jail and ordered to enroll in parenting education classes.

Ray Lynn Dennis, 24, of Fowlerville, Mich., pleaded no contest Friday to one count of child endangering and was ordered to begin serving her sentence immediately, said Mike Qualls, a spokesman for the city attorney’s office.

Dennis was arrested Tuesday when police conducting a narcotics investigation at the Warner Center Motor Inn in Canoga Park found the child on the floor of the room amid glass cocaine pipes, several of which were broken, Qualls said.

Officers also said they found marijuana, powder cocaine and rock cocaine in the apartment. Qualls said he was not sure why Dennis was not charged with drug possession.

In addition to ordering Dennis to immediately begin serving her jail time, Van Nuys Municipal Judge Alan Ellis placed her on three years probation and said she must undergo parenting education and attend at least 25 Narcotics Anonymous meetings, said Deputy City Atty. Debra Siedorf in a written statement.