Douglas County mother accused in toddler's death while 'lost' in woods makes first appearance
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - A Douglas County mother, who was charged in the death of her toddler, made her first court appearance on Thursday.
Investigators say 35-year-old Uriha Ridge was lost in the woods for nearly 12 hours with her two kids.
Douglas County mother appears in court for toddler's death
Prosecutors say Ridge was high on drugs and didn’t call for help even though her cellphone was charged. Deputies say the family vanished near Fox Hall Resort on Capps Ferry Road around midnight on Jan. 16 and that Ridge did not alert authorities until almost noon.
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.
Her 3-year-old daughter Alina died at the hospital after being out in below-freezing and wet elements. FOX 5 has learned her brother Elijah was treated at an area hospital and is now back with other family members.
Officials allege Ridge used cocaine and marijuana before heading out into the wilderness that night. She was arrested and charged with felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children.
Uriha Ridge's history of child abuse allegations uncovered following daughter's death
Ridge stood with a still face and her hands cuffed in front of her while charges were read in court.
The FOX 5 I-Team discovered this was not Ridge's first run-in with the law on child abuse charges. In November 2022, she was charged with assault and cruelty towards children and was released on bond.
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. FOX 5 dug into court documents detailing those conditions from 2022 and court records reveal that those stipulations required her to refrain from drinking alcohol, live at her mother's residence, and go to both parenting and alcohol classes, once a month. In those documents, prosecutors say she did not provide proof of attendance.
FOX 5 stopped by the last known address for Ridge to find out more from those who know her and was told they did not have any statement to provide at this time.