Police: Franklin Woman Struggles With Deputies Over Removal of Juvenile from Her Home

| November 27, 2021


FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) – Charges have been filed against an area woman who reportedly struggled with sheriff’s deputies who were serving a court order for the removal of a juvenile from her care.

Court documents indicate the Venango County Sheriff’s Office filed criminal charges against 37-year-old Dawn Marie Rice.

According to a criminal complaint, on Thursday, November 18, the Venango County Sheriff’s Office received a court order to assist the removal of a six-year-old child from the care of Dawn Rice at a residence on Rocky Grove Avenue in Franklin.

Deputies from the Venango County Sheriff’s Office and representatives of Children and Youth Services (CYS) then traveled to the residence, where they found Rice’s vehicle parked at the entrance of the driveway.

The deputies knocked at the door of the residence, and a woman answered.

According to the complaint, when asked her name, the woman didn’t immediately reply. One deputy then told the woman he knew she was Dawn Rice, and they needed to speak to her about the juvenile, who the complaint notes had walked up and was standing beside Rice. The deputy explained they had a court order from CYS.

Rice began to argue about CYS, stating she had “all kinds of papers from Erie.” The deputy attempted to hand her the order, but Rice reportedly reached for the juvenile to pull him away, and the deputy then placed his hand on the juvenile to prevent Rice from “dragging him back into the residence,” the complaint states.

Rice then struggled with two of the deputies in the doorway, screaming that they were not taking the juvenile and yelling for a known man to come and help her. The juvenile also grabbed Rice and clung to her, and the deputies then took Rice to the ground. However, she reportedly locked her legs around the juvenile and refused to let him go, according to the complaint.

Although the deputies then attempted to handcuff Rice, she reportedly resisted, pulling her hands away and continuing to hold the juvenile with her legs. CYS personnel then removed the child and Rice’s sweatshirt pocket was torn off in the process, the complaint notes.

After the juvenile was taken away, deputies stood Rice on her feet to attempt to remove her from the residence due to concern over a confrontation with the known man she had called for previously.

However, the complaint indicates Rice continued to resist and deputies took her to the ground again. She was then rolled over and placed in a seated position. She reportedly remained seated when ordered to do so but continued to yell, the complaint indicates.

She was then informed the juvenile was being taken to a relative’s home and was permitted to speak to the relative on speakerphone. She reportedly told the relative, in front of the deputies, that she would come to pick up the child, and the decision was then made to send the juvenile to a different relative, according to the complaint.

The following charges were filed against Rice through Magisterial District Judge Patrick E. Lowrey’s office on November 19:

– Endangering Welfare of Children – Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Misdemeanor 1
– Resist Arrest/Other Law Enforcement, Misdemeanor 2
– Obstruct Administration of Law/Other Government Function, Misdemeanor 2

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on December 22, with Judge Lowrey presiding.


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