Pittsburgh mom forced son, 5, to smoke crack pipe, police say

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh woman is accused of forcing her 5-year-old son to smoke a crack pipe and leaving him alone.

Rochelle Daniels, 39, of Brighton Heights, left her son with a friend on Aug. 26, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Channel 11 News.

Antwan Burton told

he is that friend listed in the complaint. Police said he was reluctant to watch the boy, but he feared Daniels would leave the child alone so he told her to hurry back.

“I kept him,” Burton said. “She was supposed to come home that night. She didn’t.”

When Daniels did not return the next day, police said the boy left the man’s home on his own and went to another friend's house. She called the boy's aunt, who then called police and filed a missing person's report.

According to the criminal complaint, police found Daniels’ home in extreme disarray, with food and garbage scattered throughout the house.

Police said that the 5-year-old boy told his aunt that Daniels frequently left him alone, gave him pills to make him fall asleep and made him smoke something the aunt stated was a crack pipe.

According to the complaint, the boy told his aunt, "Mommy took something white and put it on the end. Mommy took the lighter and flicked the lighter. Mommy lit the end of it and told me to smoke it."

The boy also told police that his mother would leave him alone at night and would not wake up on many mornings. According to the complaint, the boy told police, "I had to get food from my neighbors because I was so hungry."

Burton told Loesch he believes Daniels is a good mother and he has a hard time believing the accusations made against her.

“I know she loved her son, but as far as the other stuff, I don’t think she did,” he said. “I don’t think she would.”

Burton said his family often helped watch the boy because they knew Daniels had addition problems.

“I would love to see him with his mother, but it’s whatever is best for him,” Burton said.

The boy continues to be cared for by his aunt.

Police obtained an arrest warrant Tuesday for Daniels on charges including endangering the welfare of children, simple assault, corruption of minors and recklessly endangering another person.

The boy’s aunt told

that Daniels is receiving treatment at a drug and alcohol treatment facility.

Stay with Channel 11 News and WPXI.com for continuing coverage. 

Cox Media Group