NOPD: Woman breaks into shed with toddler in tow

Maybe she couldn’t get a babysitter? A 42-year-old woman is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile after she allegedly took a toddler with her while she attempted to break into a stranger’s shed, authorities said.

A resident of the 4000 block of Magnolia in the Milan area arrived home Nov. 8 and was startled to see a small child sitting in his driveway, said Sgt. Warren Keller of the NOPD property-crimes division. He walked up to check on the child, then heard a sound from his backyard and saw a woman in his shed, Keller said. The woman noticed him as well, ran into the driveway, scooped up the child, jumped into her own vehicle and drove off, Keller said.

“She decided to burglarize the shed with her toddler out in the driveway,” Keller said.

The victim was able to get the car’s license plate, and when detectives placed an image of its owner in a photo lineup, the victim immediately recognized her, Keller said.

The woman, Tracey L. Guidry, was arrested two days later in an unrelated incident and charged with cruelty to a juvenile, improper supervision by a parent and possession of drug paraphernalia, jail records show. On Wednesday, Second District Detective Jacob Lundy charged with simple burglary and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.