A Cumberland woman is arrested after leaving three children on the side of the highway. According to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack on 7/12/2020 at approximately 9:04pm troopers received a phone call from a distraught child. The child identified himself as an 11-year-old male, who had been abandoned along the shoulder of Westbound I-68 at the Cassleman River, along with his 5-year-old sister and their friend, a 9-year-old female. Troopers were immediately dispatched to the area, and were able to locate the children standing in the darkness only a few feet away from heavy traffic passing by. Troopers were able to safely transport the children to a safe area off the interstate.
Upon speaking to the children, it was discovered that they had been travelling with Alix Marshall Locke, Cumberland, MD, who was the mother of one of the children. The children advised Troopers that Locke was extremely intoxicated. They advised that earlier, she backed into another vehicle at the Keyser’s Ridge Truck Stop and fled the scene of that collision. They advised after driving on I-68, Locke pulled to the shoulder and then abandoned them before driving away. It was determined that Locke was watching two of the children for a neighbor and had taken them for the day. Troopers from the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack and Cumberland Barrack, as well as Officers from the Cumberland City Police Department began a search for the vehicle, but were unable to locate it at that time. The children were all released to legal guardians.
On 7/14/2020 at approximately 11:15pm Troopers arrived at an address in Cumberland City, where they were able to locate Locke. Troopers also located the gray Nissan Murano with damage, which was consistent with being involved in a collision. Locke was arrested without incident and was taken before a judicial officer. Locke was charged with multiple violations relating to this incident