Warrant to be issued for Washington woman
A warrant will be issued for a Washington woman accused of injecting heroin while she was almost nine months pregnant after she failed to show up Tuesday for preliminary hearings on three sets of charges filed against her.
Shannon Louise Hilbert, 23, whose last known address was Addison Street in Washington’s West End, was charged by South Strabane Township police with aggravated assault against an unborn child, endangering the welfare of children and reckless endangerment after police said they learned she recently injected heroin when they took her into custody March 13 during a traffic stop in Washington. Police said they observed recent “track marks” on her arms and hands during the stop. She also reportedly told police she had not received prenatal care.
Hilbert initially was placed in Washington County jail on $30,000 bond, but was later released. She was then transitioned to Family Links because of her pregnancy and heroin addiction, Sgt. Michael Manfredi, who filed the charges, told District Judge Jay Weller. She gave birth to a baby at a Pittsburgh hospital. Manfredi said the case is under the jurisdiction of Allegheny County Children and Youth. He also said he has not heard how the infant is doing.
“This is very sad,” Weller remarked, adding he would ask a Washington County judge to issue a bench warrant for Hilbert. He ordered her held for court on all the charges from the three cases.
Hilbert had been wanted on warrants obtained by South Strabane and East Washington police for incidents last year.
East Washington police charged her with possession of heroin and paraphernalia, as well as traffic violations, stemming from a traffic stop last May on South Wade Avenue.
South Strabane police charged her with theft, identity theft and access device fraud. Hilbert allegedly stole $1,000 from an elderly South Strabane woman while she was working as a caregiver for another resident at Thomas Campbell Apartments. The alleged victim, who was 80 at the time of the theft last fall, contacted police after noticing unauthorized charges made with her bank card. Hilbert reportedly obtained the woman’s personal identification number while running errands for her. Hilbert allegedly used the card to withdraw money from the woman’s bank account and to make purchases.
Hilbert is scheduled to be formally arraigned on the charges July 26.