N.D. Police Say Baby Wedged in Car; Woman Charged

Mandan, N.D. police say a woman has been charged with child abuse or neglect after officers found her 8-month-old son wedged behind the driver’s seat of a car when they pulled her over for driving erratically.

Sarah Dawn Gwin, 25, of Mandan, also is facing misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence with a minor present and driving without liability insurance.

South Central District Court Judge David Reich set a $5,000 cash-only bond for Gwin on Tuesday. He barred her from contact with the baby unless supervised by Morton County Social Services officials.

Police Lt. Paul Leingang said police stopped Gwin’s car after an officer saw it weaving between lanes. A patrol car had to pass the car and block it with the help of another patrol car to get the driver to stop, Leingang said. Gwin was arrested after failing sobriety tests, Leingang said.

An officer found the baby face down on the floorboard behind the driver’s seat, Leingang said.

The child was identified as Roman Faraci, Gwin’s son. Leingang said he was not hurt, and was turned over to another family member.

“The child’s torso was wedged between a large liquid detergent bottle, the front driver’s seat backrest and the center console armrest that was facing towards the rear,” Mandan Police Officer Scott Stromsodt wrote in an affidavit.

Stromsodt said the baby’s head was pressed against the center console, straining his neck.

The affidavit said the child had either fallen into the position on the floorboard or had been placed there.