A Lehighton woman who left her 3-year-old alone and crying outside their home for 45 minutes in August faces a child endangerment charge, and a man found inside the home was charged with drug offenses.

Mahoning Township police cited Monique Fethiere, 26, of 725 N. First St., with the misdemeanor offense.The little girl was left outside on Aug. 22. Police were called to the house, and the girl told them she could not get inside.The criminal complaint was filed on Dec. 23, and a summons issued through District Judge Edward Lewis of Jim Thorpe on Jan. 2.According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by patrolman Tyler Meek, here's what happened:At 12:10 p.m. that day, Meek was called to the house and spoke with the child, who was visibly upset. She told the officer her mother, Fethiere, was upstairs. Meek knocked on the front door, which opened. The little girl ran upstairs.Meek yelled Fethiere's name several times, but she didn't answer. He announced he was from the police department, but still didn't get a response. He walked to the stairs and again loudly called Fethiere by name and said he was a police officer.He was met with silence.Because Meek didn't know where the child went, and because he was concerned, he, too, went up the stairs. Pausing at the third or fourth step from the top, he again loudly announced his presence.Still, no one answered.But Meek could hear someone moving around, and a man speaking softly.From about 12:30 p.m. until 12:45 p.m., he tried but was unable to get anyone to respond. At 12:45 p.m., Mahoning Township Chief Audie Mertz arrived, and Meek, Mertz and Lehighton patrolman Matt Arner began to search the upstairs to make sure the little girl was all right.The first bedroom door had been blocked by a heavy object, but Meek was able to push it open.Inside, he found Vanessa Fethiere and Daniel Hodges lying in bed. Meek could smell marijuana.While police checked the other rooms, Monique Fethiere, with her child, came down from the attic. Fethiere appeared to have been sleeping, and asked what was going on.Meek also spoke with the neighbor who had called police. The neighbor told him the child being left alone outside was an ongoing situation, and she was worried because the house is close to busy Route 209.Police charged Hodges, 22, of Allentown, with possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.