3-year-old dies after being 'lost' with mom for hours in freezing Douglasville woods
Mother of 3-year-old charged in toddler's death
Uriha Ridge was charged in the death of a 3-year-old Alina after being found drench outside with her kids in freezing weather last week. She is now warm in the Douglas County Jail charged with murder. What investigators say happened and what the FOX 5 I-Team uncovered about her past criminal history.
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - A 3-year-old girl "lost" in the woods with her mother has died, and now the mom faces child abuse charges. FOX 5 learned this was not her first arrest for cruelty to children.
Investigators believe Uriha Ridge and her two children vanished near Fox Hall Resort on Capps Ferry Road around midnight on Jan. 16. Deputies say she spent nearly 12 hours in the woods while high on drugs and didn't call for help until almost noon.
She claimed she was lost, but deputies discovered not only did she have a phone on her, it was also charged.
When the family was found, the children were drenched. The forecast that night showed a low of 27 degrees.
The below-freezing elements proved to be deadly for the 3-year-old girl, Alina. She died after being taken to the hospital.
Officials allege Ridge used cocaine and marijuana before heading out into the wilderness that night.
She was arrested and charged with felony murder.
There has been no word on the condition of the other child who was with her.
The FOX 5 I-Team discovered this wasn't Ridge's first run-in with the law on child abuse charges. In 2022, she was charged with assault and cruelty towards children.
Uriha Ridge (Credit: Douglas County Sheriff's Office)
According to the warrant, she was accused of beating Alina, who was just 2-years-old at the time. She also reportedly dropped the toddler while she was "heavily intoxicated."
A judge granted her bond, and she was able to keep her kids.
A day after Alina's death, the district attorney asked for that bond to be revoked.