Georgia authorities say the mother of a 3-year-old girl who died after spending more than 11 hours in the woods in frigid weather has been arrested.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday that Uriha Ridge, 35, faces multiple charges of child abuse and one count of felony murder.
Deputies responded to Foxhall Resort just before noon on Jan. 16 about a woman and her two children who were “suspected to be lost in the woods.” Resort employees helped find Ridge and his two children, ages 3 and 7, “soaked” in a wooded area far from the resort where they were staying. The mother and child were taken to a hospital, where the 3-year-old died from what investigators believe was exposure to the elements.
The sheriff's office said, “Illegal drugs were the root cause of Uriha Ridge taking two young children into the woods for more than 11 hours in subzero temperatures and rain, wearing minimal clothing.'' It is believed that this was due to ingestion of .
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Deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office responded to the Fox Hole Resort on Capps Ferry Road on January 16, 2024. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
Authorities said Ridge was found in possession of a cell phone with a charged battery. She was arrested Jan. 19 and is being held in the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Jail without bail, according to online records.
The mother is accused of using cocaine and marijuana before going outside that night, with temperatures expected to reach a low of 27 degrees. FOX 5 Atlanta reported. The TV station's investigative team found that Ridge was charged in 2022 with assault and abuse of a child.
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Uriha Ridge faces charges of child abuse and one count of felony murder. (Douglas County Sheriff's Office)
Foxhall Resort employees, pictured here, helped the sheriff find the mother and her two children in the wilderness. (Google Maps)
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Ridge's 7-year-old child was also hospitalized as a result of the Jan. 16 incident, but DCSO did not provide an update.
