dannymax
Well-Known Member
Grandma accused of trading stolen gifts for crack
Andrea Ocasio
ALBANY - Police said it was three in the morning Saturday, when a 22-year-old man came home to this Albany apartment, to find the door wide open, his three-year-old son asleep on the couch, and his mother, who was supposed to be babysitting, no where in sight. Outraged, he called police.
"He went back downstairs and was waiting on the sidewalk for the officers. Within moments his mother came out of a house, a drug house down the street. He confronted her, accused her of stealing Christmas presents from inside the house as well as leaving his son alone," said James Miller, Albany police spokesperson.
Police said 44-year-old Andrea Ocasio admitted she'd hocked her grandson's presents to buy crack cocaine.
"Morally disgusted, but there's almost no excuse for it." said Dustin Burns, a resident who lives in the neighborhood.
But one substance abuse expert said it's not surprising.
"This isn't a recreational addict. Certainly this is a desperate human being doing desperate things," said
Gail Moore, who runs the rehab clinic at The Addictions Care Center in Albany. Moore said it's possible that Ocasio cares deeply about her family, but was in the grips of a powerful drug addiction.
"It's sad and certainly she should be held accountable. But to say, to blame someone. Addiction is not a black and white issue it's not a simple issue," she said.
Police said Ocasio does have a history of drug abuse. But that there's no excuse for her actions.
"To leave your three-year-old grandson alone, I don't care if it was just for a few minutes, to walk down a street to purchase drugs, what does it say about that person," he said.
Police were able to recover the Christmas presents and get them back to Ocasio's son and grandson.
Ocasio is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and petit larceny, and is in the Albany County jail.
Andrea Ocasio
ALBANY - Police said it was three in the morning Saturday, when a 22-year-old man came home to this Albany apartment, to find the door wide open, his three-year-old son asleep on the couch, and his mother, who was supposed to be babysitting, no where in sight. Outraged, he called police.
"He went back downstairs and was waiting on the sidewalk for the officers. Within moments his mother came out of a house, a drug house down the street. He confronted her, accused her of stealing Christmas presents from inside the house as well as leaving his son alone," said James Miller, Albany police spokesperson.
Police said 44-year-old Andrea Ocasio admitted she'd hocked her grandson's presents to buy crack cocaine.
"Morally disgusted, but there's almost no excuse for it." said Dustin Burns, a resident who lives in the neighborhood.
But one substance abuse expert said it's not surprising.
"This isn't a recreational addict. Certainly this is a desperate human being doing desperate things," said
Gail Moore, who runs the rehab clinic at The Addictions Care Center in Albany. Moore said it's possible that Ocasio cares deeply about her family, but was in the grips of a powerful drug addiction.
"It's sad and certainly she should be held accountable. But to say, to blame someone. Addiction is not a black and white issue it's not a simple issue," she said.
Police said Ocasio does have a history of drug abuse. But that there's no excuse for her actions.
"To leave your three-year-old grandson alone, I don't care if it was just for a few minutes, to walk down a street to purchase drugs, what does it say about that person," he said.
Police were able to recover the Christmas presents and get them back to Ocasio's son and grandson.
Ocasio is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and petit larceny, and is in the Albany County jail.
