Courts (Credit: Pexels)
Arkansas native Cheyanne Marie Wooten was charged following a wellbeing visit by Montgomery County Office of Children & Youth
A Lower Salford mother had two of six charges of felony endangering the welfare of children withdrawn at a Wednesday preliminary hearing, and moves on to Montgomery County court to be tried on accusations that she had four toddlers in her care who were “extremely malnourished” and allegedly living in squalor, with bugs coming out of the sink and one container of formula in the home.
Cheyanne Marie Wooten aka Cheyanne Marie Hubbard, 25, of the 300 block of Maple Avenue, remains free on 10% of $10,000 cash bail, according to court records. She was present at the hearing.
The charges stem from an investigation by Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth caseworkers.
Prior to Aug. 18, 2025, the children, all under the age of 4, lived with Wooten, and Daniel Wooten, 28, police said.
On that date, Cheyanne became the sole caretaker of the children when Daniel was taken into custody for outstanding warrants from Arkansas for failure to appear at court to answer to felony charges for cocaine possession, police said.
Cheyanne Wooten also has an address listed for Bald Knob, AR, according to her criminal docket.
The investigation into the children’s welfare began with a Childline referral for General Protective Service and assistance for a family, according to the criminal complaint. Montgomery County caseworkers initiated an investigation into the wellbeing of the four children living in the home on Sept. 13, police said.
On Sept. 15, the Montgomery County caseworker conducted a routine home visit, with Wooten and the toddlers present. Lower Salford Police were then contacted by the caseworker two days later. Charges were filed against Wooten on Oct. 9, according to the affidavit.
According to police in the complaint, “the children and the living conditions were evaluated and raised serious concern for the safety of all four children. The ages of the children required them to rely on the care of the parent, but … those needs were not being met and the physical conditions of the children required immediate medical intervention.”
Police said all four children were “extremely malnourished, thin, and unkempt,” some living in smeared and dried fecal matter. Furthermore, the home was “lacking in what is commonly associated with basic fundamental needs,” including one container of baby formula for four children and a crib with no bedding, according to the affidavit.
Baby bottles were dirty and there were bugs coming out of the bathroom sink, police said.
Authorities confirmed the toddlers had never been to a pediatrician.
All children were taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in King of Prussia for care on Sept. 15, police said, with one of the four noted by police to be “alert, well-developed and well-nourished.” The children were discharged on Oct. 2, police said. Authorities did not reveal who is currently caring for the toddlers.
Police said numerous people had contacted Cheyanne and offered care and assistance for the children, including food, clothing, furniture, and pediatric appointments.
A church had even helped the Wootens, police said in the complaint, including finding them a place to stay and financial assistance for various things and necessities for the children, but “none of which were seen at the home.”
Church leaders “offered Cheyanne to take the children to see a medical professional to help them with their issues at least a dozen times,” but Cheyanne never took them up on the offer, police alleged.
Wooten is represented by public defender Courtney Jane Marthen.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gabriella Glenning.
Arkansas case
According to an Arkansas affidavit of probable cause, Cheyanne Wooten and two toddlers were in the backseat of a 2007 Saturn that was pulled over on Jan. 4, 2025 in Batesville, AR, in which Daniel Wooten, then residing in Bald Knob, AR, was a front seat passenger.
The Saturn was pulled over on U.S. Highway 167 near Ramsey Mountain in Batesville for a broken headlight, expired registration, expired insurance, and for Daniel Wooten and driver Ryan Hicks allegedly not wearing seatbelts, said police from the 16th Judicial Drug Task Force of Independence County, AR. Hicks, of Newport, AR, was also allegedly speeding at 55 mph in a 45-mph zone.
Police alleged Daniel Wooten hid something under the floorboard of the car under his legs when police approached. The agent could see torn plastic baggies on the floorboard and digital scales laying on top of a diaper bag, police said.
Daniel Wooten and Hicks were on parole in Arkansas at the time of the traffic stop, police said.
“Wooten stated they were carrying Hubbard to the hospital because she was pregnant and hurting. Hubbard was asked if she needed immediate medical treatment, and she said, ‘No, we may not go,’” police wrote in the complaint.
Police said the Wootens gave the same hospital story to another officer and did not go to the hospital.
Officers allegedly found cocaine hidden inside a cigarette pack inside the diaper bag. Wooten told police it was cornstarch, and then said it was Cheyanne’s cornstarch, according to the affidavit.
Cheyanne Hubbard allegedly had K-2 aka Spice and smoking pipes in her pocket.
Daniel Wooten told Arkansas authorities the cocaine was handed to him by Hicks to get rid of during the stop, according to the affidavit.
According to Arkansas judicial records, Daniel Wooten has more than 35 court cases in his criminal history, including numerous felony arrests and orders of protection.
Cheyanne Wooten, according to Arkansas records, has one open and one closed paternity court case, and one active traffic case, all in which she is the role of defendant. Neither Cheyanne nor Daniel Wooten have other active or closed criminal cases in Pennsylvania.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
