A 36-year-old Cincinnati woman is facing four charges after investigators accused her of instructing children to put $119 worth of merchandise in her purse at a North College Hill store. The arrest allegation adds a second layer to what might otherwise have been a straightforward theft case: Officers say she also pulled away while they tried to handcuff her.
According to court records reviewed by Local 12, the incident happened Monday at The Hair Palace on Hamilton Avenue. Investigators say the children were with Destiny Ferguson, but the records do not identify them or explain their relationship to her.
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office attributed four charges to Ferguson: theft, contributing to the delinquency of a child, obstructing official business and resisting arrest. The allegations stem from the reported concealment of merchandise and the confrontation that followed when officers attempted to take her into custody.
What The Child-Related Charge Means
Ohio's contributing-to-delinquency statute prohibits anyone, including a parent or custodian, from aiding, encouraging or contributing to a child becoming unruly or delinquent. Under Ohio law, the offense is generally a first-degree misdemeanor, though the charge itself does not establish that the children were legally Ferguson's dependents.
The alleged value of the merchandise also matters. Ohio's theft statute generally classifies property valued below $1,000 as misdemeanor theft, while the state's laws separately address conduct that hampers officers or interferes with an arrest through theft provisions, obstructing official business and resisting arrest.
Ferguson Released Without Posting Bond
Ferguson was released from jail without posting bond, Local 12 reported. The children have not been publicly identified, and the available court information does not say whether they face any allegations themselves.
The charges are allegations, and Ferguson has not been found guilty. Any future court proceedings are expected to determine how prosecutors develop the theft and child-related claims, as well as the allegations involving her interaction with officers.
