HALIFAX, DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.–A Halifax woman was arrested Monday after police found a marijuana cigarette in a 1-year-old’s playpen and say she fabricated details regarding a shooting outside her home last month.
Janet Quinones, 29, is charged with endangering the welfare of children, manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture of deliver a controlled substance, false reports, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, use and possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana. She was arraigned Tuesday and taken to Dauphin County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.
State police initially responded to Quinones’ home located along the first block of Dustin Drive in Halifax Township on January 27 for a reported shooting. Quinones claimed Julian Rodriguez, her ex-boyfriend, fired shots at her after she threw a rock at his vehicle.
Troopers followed up on the investigation and discovered some holes in Quinones’ story.
Rodriguez, who is currently in Dauphin County Prison, told police when he showed up at Quinones’ home–she came out of her residence followed by Luis Jimenez, and a man identified only as Eley, according to the criminal complaint. Rodriguez said Jimenez started shooting at him , and Eley used a shotgun. Rodriguez returned fire before fleeing the scene.
Authorities said in court documents that the vehicle Rodriguez was riding in had damage consistent with multiple shotgun blast which was caused from a heavy gauge bird shot.
Troopers searched Quinones’ home on Monday and found marijuana, scales, a large amount of money, drug paraphernalia, a gun, cell phones, a security camera system and ammunition.
During the search of the home, a one-year-old girl was was found in a playpen in an upstairs bedroom, which smelled of marijuana, according to court documents. A marijuana cigarette was in the playpen and in immediate reach of the child, police said.
Dauphin County Children and Youth Services removed the one-year-old and a 14-year-old from the home. Police said numerous spent shell casings were found in a shoe box in the bedroom, indicating Quinones cleaned up the initial shooting on January 27.
Quinones admitted to lying to state police on the day of the shooting, according to court documents. She said Jimenez did engage in a firefight with Rodriguez, and he used a shotgun during the shootout. She told police Jimenez took her van to Harrisburg and later fled to Boston, Massachusetts.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 14.
