Media Release

For Immediate Distribution

Date of Release: July 4, 2016
Sunday, July 3, 2016, approximately 7:48 pm, Ridgeland Police Department officers responded to
Lowes Home Improvement located at 910 E. County Line Road in reference to a small child being
locked in a vehicle. This call was received via an emergency 911 call from a citizen in the parking lot.
Officers arrived on scene within one minute and located a 2013 Lincoln MKZ parked in a parking space
with a small child in the rear seat. The rear passenger window was rolled down approximately 2 inches
and the vehicle was not running. A passerby was able to assist RPD and Ridgeland Fire to gain access
to the vehicle by using their hand to unlock the vehicle. The child was removed from the vehicle at this
point and examined by Ridgeland Fire and Pafford EMS personnel.
The operator of the vehicle exited Lowes while the child was being examined and stated she was the
grandmother of the child. She indicated she had stopped at Lowes to use the restroom and decided to
shop for some plants while she was in the store. The elapsed time from the 911 notification until the
child was removed from the vehicle was approximately 5 minutes. The child who was identified as a 34
month old male was cared for by medical and law enforcement personnel until he was returned to his
mother.
The grandmother who was in care of the child was arrested for one count of misdemeanor Child
Neglect and during the arrest process; she resisted the officers actions and was additionally charged
with Resisting Arrest. The suspect is identified as ReJohnna B. Mitchell (56 years of age from New
Orleans, LA). Mitchell was booked and processed on the two charges and was released from custody
after posting a $2,000.00 bond. Mitchell has an initial appearance date set for July 26, 2016 at 8:30
am. Mitchell faces a maximum fine of $1,000 and/or up to 1 year in jail on the Child Neglect charge
and a maximum fine of $500 and/or up to 6 months in jail.
Any questions should be directed to John R. Neal, Chief of Police, Ridgeland PD at 601-853-2014.

ReJohnna B. Mitchell
56 Years of Age
New Orleans, Louisiana
Charges:
Child Neglect
Resisting Arrest

115 west school street ridgeland, ms 39157

ph: 601.856.2121 www.ridgelandms.org
Gene F. McGee, cmo - mayor John R. Neal - chief of police
board of aldermen: D.I. Smith, cmo - at-large Ken Heard, cmo - ward 1 Chuck Gautier, cmo, mayor pro tempore - ward 2
Kevin Holder, cmo - ward 3 Brian P. Ramsey, cmo - ward 4 Scott Jones, cmo - ward 5 Wesley Hamlin, cmo - ward 6