WARREN CO., Pa. (EYT) — The mother of a two-year-old girl who drowned in the Allegheny River in August has been charged with child endangerment.

Court documents indicate the Warren-based State Police filed the following charges against 39-year-old Patti Jo Vargason, of Tidioute, on October 20:

– Endangering Welfare of Children — Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Felony 3 (two counts)

The charges stem from an incident that took place on August 21 in Limestone Township, Warren County.

Details of the case:

According to The Post Journal, police say they initially received a call from Patti Vargason on August 21, via the 9-1-1 center, reporting that she believed her daughter was in the river after being unable to locate her.

At the scene, troopers checked along the riverbank, but were unable to locate the child. They did, however, find that the river was high and muddy due to recent rain.

Police then spoke to Vargason’s five-year-old son who had reportedly been with the girl when she entered the river, and the child took them to a dock over the river across from the family’s residence.

As the search continued, police interviewed Vargason, who reported she had last seen her daughter around 10:20 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in a pack and play next to her bed. She told police she was then awakened again at 11:00 a.m. by her son screaming that her daughter had fallen into the river.

Vargason reportedly told police that her five-year-old son told her he tried to get her daughter out of the water, but could not. She also indicated the five-year-old can open the gate, and must have done so.

Resources utilized in the search for the girl included PSP Warren Troopers, PSP helicopter, McKean County Tracking Canine, PA Fish and Boat Commission, Tionesta, Hickory, and Tidioute Volunteer Fire Departments, and the McKean County Special Operations Group Dive Team. The dive team used an underwater submarine to scan the water and bank side of the Allegheny River. Also, several volunteers in the area assisted during the search.

The girl’s body was then located the following day, approximately one mile south of where she was believed to have fallen into the river.

Police say that an autopsy found that the cause of death was drowning.

A preliminary hearing for the case against Vargason is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on November 17, with Magisterial District Judge Todd A. Woodin presiding.

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