Drunk Grandma Left Baby in Rainy Ditch
On a stormy October afternoon, a Minnesota driver encountered a surreal and unsettling sight — a barefoot woman, walking aimlessly through the woods, clutching an infant in her arms. Within minutes, that child would be lying alone in a roadside ditch, soaked and vulnerable to the cold. The woman responsible, 52-year-old Anastasia Vaughn, had been drinking. What followed was a high-profile case that shocked a community — and raised important questions about accountability and compassion.
A Cold, Rainy Day in Fergus Falls
It was Oct. 29, 2024, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, where autumn was at its peak and the weather unforgiving. Around 4:30 p.m., a concerned driver called the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office after witnessing a disturbing scene on Cedar Park Loop near Swan Lake. A woman — later identified as Vaughn — was seen walking through the wooded roadside without shoes, cradling a baby despite the rain and near 50-degree temperatures.
Though Vaughn assured the driver she and the child were "fine," according to Law & Crime, he quickly realized that wasn't the case. Minutes later, he witnessed Vaughn running away from a ditch — this time, without the infant. Investigating the area, he discovered the child alone on the ground and called 911.
Found Barefoot and Confused
When deputies arrived, they found Vaughn stumbling through the woods near the ditch where the baby had been left. Her eyes were bloodshot and watery, her speech slurred, and the odor of alcohol unmistakable. According to the affidavit, she appeared disoriented and gave conflicting accounts about why she was out there.
At the scene, deputies were unable to complete a breath test, but later at the Otter Tail County Detention Facility, Vaughn registered a blood alcohol concentration of 0.229 — nearly three times the legal driving limit in Minnesota.
She eventually admitted to drinking and mixing alcohol with her prescribed medication that day. According to court filings, Vaughn confessed that she "put [her grandson] down on the ground near the ditch and left him," as reported by PEOPLE.
Charges and a Plea Deal
Vaughn was arrested and charged with one count of endangering a child in a situation that could cause harm or death — a gross misdemeanor in Minnesota punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $3,000 fine.
As her case moved toward trial, Vaughn accepted a plea deal in April 2025. She pleaded guilty to the child endangerment charge, acknowledging her actions and her impaired state at the time.
A Suspended Sentence — And a Second Chance
On June 11, Otter Tail County District Judge Michael D. Fritz sentenced Vaughn to 45 days in jail — but suspended the sentence for two years. Instead, she must complete 492 hours of community service within one year and will remain on probation for two years. She was also ordered to pay $585 in fines and court costs.
As a condition of her probation, Vaughn is prohibited from consuming alcohol, cannot have unsupervised contact with minors, and must submit to regular alcohol testing. If she violates these terms, she could serve the full jail sentence.
A Chilling Case With a Cautious Outcome
The image of a shoeless woman abandoning a child on a rainy day in Minnesota has gripped the public imagination. Vaughn's case is a painful reminder of the dangers of substance use — particularly when paired with caregiving responsibilities. Still, the court's sentence reflects a belief in rehabilitation over retribution.
Whether that redemption comes, however, will depend entirely on Vaughn.
References: Shoeless grandma who left infant in roadside ditch on rainy day, ran away, then told cops she was 'looking for a child' after day drinking learns her fate | Barefoot Infant Abandoned in Roadside Ditch on Rainy Day by Drunken Grandmother Who Fled the Scene
