A mother leaves her children in a hotel room while getting drunk at the bar
- Travis Uresk
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
by Travis Uresk
5-10-25
| Vernal, Ut. | May 8th, 2025 |
At 11:30 PM, Vernal City Police received a report of a disorderly woman at The Valley Saloon. It was reported that the intoxicated female had tried to sexually assault a hotel employee and left two children in her hotel room.
Police arrived and made contact with 30-year-old Erica Lopez Miller.
Upon making contact with Erica, she was sitting on the ground just inside the back doors of the building. Erica was slurring her words and having difficulty telling officers what was happening. When patrons walked by, she would yell at them because she thought they were talking about her.
Officer Cannon and Deputy Russell with the UCSO assisted Erica off the ground, as she had difficulty standing independently. Erica was detained and secured in the back of a patrol vehicle.
Erica told police that her two children, one 6 years old and one 9 years old, were up in the hotel room alone. Officer Cannon asked again what was going on tonight, and she stated she was upset with the female she was hanging out with. Erica said the female talked her into going to the bar and taking shots, and she was staying at the hotel due to an incident with her husband.
The officer found the female and asked her what occurred. She stated that Erica came to the hotel with her children that afternoon asking if she could buy her a shot at the bar, and she said she could.
The female stated she and Erica went to the bar around 9:00 or 9:30 PM and consumed alcohol. Erica went and checked on her children around 10:45 PM. Erica returned and got upset with someone in the bar. The female stated she walked Erica out into the hallway to get her to calm down, and that is where Erica made sexual advances toward her and made her feel uncomfortable.
The female said she left Erica in the hall and returned to the bar, where someone called law enforcement. The female also mentioned that Erica told her she had consumed THC edibles prior to going to the bar.
Officers went to Erica's hotel room to check on the children, and they were asleep.
Erica consented to a portable breath test, which showed positive for alcohol at a .366 BrAC. Erica was transported to Uintah Basin Healthcare for a medical clearance before being taken to jail.
Family was contacted to come get the children. Upon the family making contact with the children, they acted confused and asked where Erica was.
Officer Cannon spoke with Erica at the hospital and asked her if she had ever left her children alone and if the 9-year-old could take care of the 6-year-old. Erica stated she has only ever left them alone for a couple of minutes to drive down the street to get a drink, and the 9-year-old doesn't care for the 6-year-old.
On this evening, Erica left her two children alone in a hotel room for two one-hour increments while she went to the bar and consumed alcohol to the point she was a danger to herself and others. She had also reportedly consumed THC edibles prior to going to the bar, which likely contributed to her intoxication.
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