The Caldwell County Grand Jury has returned two felony indictments from its session on Tuesday, February 3.
A true bill was returned on Jennifer Lauren Day of Princeton on charges of first-degree wanton endangerment, failure of owner to maintain required insurance, possession of marijuana, DUI – second offense, leaving the scene of an accident, three counts of controlled subtance prescription not in original container, and three counts of possession of a controlled substance – Alprazolam, Lorazepam, and Phenobarbital.
The charges are from an investigation on November 6, 2025, when the Princeton Police Department received a call about an abandoned child and a wreck.
Chief Chris King said that officers responded to the call around 8:10 that morning about an abandoned 1 1/2 year-old found in the backyard of a home at 507 West Main. He said a witness told officers that the child’s mother, Jennifer Day, had left the home in a vehicle about an hour earlier.
As police were searching for Day, Chief King said officers were notified of a collision in the 100 block of West Main Street, where they determined Day had struck a parked vehicle outside Ziobro’s.
He said the investigation revealed Day was under the influence of intoxicants, and she was taken into custody, and the child was placed in the care of social services.
The grand jury also indicted James “Jim” Elder of Princeton on charges of theft by unlawful taking of a controlled substance under $10,000.
According to the indictment, the charge is from on or about October 4, 2025, and was investigated by the Princeton Police Department.
