By Mack Callahan
Two unrelated arrests booked into the Shawnee County Jail this week both involved allegations tied to child safety — though the severity of the accusations and bond amounts were dramatically different.
According to jail records, 59-year-old Austin Lee Morgan Sr. was booked into the Shawnee County Jail just after midnight on May 19 on a long list of charges that included aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated endangering a child, narcotics possession, drug paraphernalia, and multiple traffic-related offenses.
Morgan’s listed charges include:
- Aggravated assault with use of a deadly weapon
- Aggravated endangering a child
- Possession of opiates or narcotics
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Transporting an open container of liquor
- Driving without a valid license
- Expired or unregistered vehicle violations
- Driving the wrong direction on a one-way roadway
- Violation of the offender registration act
Court records showed bond amounts listed at $50,000 on several of the charges. Morgan is scheduled for a court appearance on Aug. 6.
In a separate and unrelated case, 26-year-old Sydnie Rose Bradford was booked into the Shawnee County Jail shortly after midnight on May 18 on a charge of endangering a child.
Bradford’s bond was listed at $2,500 with a scheduled court appearance set for June 10.
As always, all suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
But it’s another reminder that “child endangerment” can cover an incredibly wide range of allegations — from misdemeanor-level neglect accusations to cases involving violence, drugs, or weapons. And once again, Shawnee County’s booking log was busy long after most people in Topeka had gone to bed.
