A Columbia County woman was arrested Wednesday morning after authorities say she left her two young daughters alone in an RV under unsafe conditions while she stayed at a nearby hotel.
Maranda Gillam, 35, was charged with contributing to the deprivation of a minor after her mother, Shanda Neal, called police out of concern for the welfare of her 8-year-old granddaughters.
According to a report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to 6745 Wrightsboro Road in Harlem around 9:17 a.m. Wednesday. Neal told deputies she checked her Life360 family tracking app that morning and noticed Gillam was not at the residence but instead at the Staybridge Suites in Augusta.
Neal went to the RV and found the children alone inside, a sheriff’s report says. When a deputy arrived, the RV was in poor condition, containing dirty dishes, cigarette lighters, vape devices, and other signs of neglect.
Gillam returned to the scene shortly afterward. Authorities noted she smelled of alcohol, slurred her speech, and was unsteady on her feet. Though she initially denied drinking and claimed she was gone for only an hour, she later admitted to consuming alcohol and being away for a longer period. Location data from the Life360 app reportedly showed she had been at the Staybridge Suites from 5:40 a.m. until approximately 9:27 a.m. Wednesday.
The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) responded to the scene Wednesday and interviewed those involved. Temporary custody of the children was granted to their grandmother.
Gillam was taken into custody and transported to the Columbia County Detention Center. A magistrate judge issued a warrant for one count of contributing to the deprivation of a minor, a misdemeanor under Georgia law.
DFCS also filed a mandatory reporter form in connection with the case.
Gillam is the same woman arrested by Columbia County authorities in January for DUI, open container, and speeding.
