CLEARLAKE – A report from a concerned neighbor led to the arrest of a Clearlake man Thursday on multiple charges including child endangerment. Kevin Ray Stone, 26, was arrested at his Lakeview Terrace apartment after officers forced entry to investigate the screaming of children that was reportedly coming from inside the unit.
According to the report prepared by Lt. Mike Hermann, Clearlake Police officers were dispatched at approximately 10.24 p.m. Jan. 29 after a caller reported hearing his neighbor”s children screaming and crying for the past hour. Upon arrival, the caller told officers that he had become concerned for the well-being of the children when he was unable to get an answer at the door.
Responding officers reportedly experienced the same circumstances as the neighbor, hearing the children screaming inside but unable to obtain response at the door. They found that the front door had been chained and blocked with an item later determined to be a reclining chair.
Unable to gain response from inside the residence, officers forced entry. “Officers made numerous attempts to get someone to come to the door but received no response,” Lt. Hermann reported. “After a period of time and due to the circumstances, officer made the decision to force entry into the location.”
While entry was being made, a white male, later identified as Stone, reportedly emerged from the rear bedroom of the unit. During contact with the subject, officers determined Stone to be under the influence of marijuana. They also determined that Stone”s children a four-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl, had been left unsupervised while he “dozed off” in the rear bedroom.
In addition, search of the apartment reportedly found the bathroom door open with the bathtub full with water and children”s toys. The floor was also found wet, indicating that the children had been playing in and around the water.
As a result of the incident, Stone was arrested for child endangerment. He was also charged with possession of an illegal weapon as a butterfly knife was found in his pocket as well as possession of drug paraphernalia for the glass smoking pipe (commonly used for methamphetamine) that was found in the residence.
Stone”s children were detained and placed into protective custody by Child Protective Services pending its investigation.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
