Woman arrested after being found living in shed with child

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas - Pflugerville Police have arrested 36-year old Carissa Esther Chancey for child endangerment. She is also being charged with possessing marijuana, and also possessing a controlled substance. She is being held at the Travis County Jail on a $40,000 bond. She's also facing two more charges for drug possession. The bond for those set at $18,000. 

According to the arrest warrant, Pflugerville Police found Chancey and her 7-year old son living in a storage shed at an apartment complex on 15835 Foothill Farms Loop.

Police say someone called 911 with a tip that a “male who smelled like urine” was sleeping in the shed “holding an assault rifle.”

A maintenance worker with the Apartment Complex gave police the keys. When they opened it, they found Chancey, and her son. There were also rats roaming. The shed, according to Police was not ventilated, and was 90 degrees.

The affidavit alleges the child told them he hadn’t eaten in more than a day and that they had been living in the shed for a day or so.

Police found marijuana, improvised pipes, and dirty syringes with meth residue. The child had a foot injury that was infected. Police took him to the North Austin Medical Center.

Because he is a minor, Child Protective Services typically gets involved to some degree in cases similar to these. A CPS spokesperson though would not confirm if they're investigating, or if the family has a CPS history. All they would say is that the child is not in their custody at this time.