Homeless mom arrested on drug charges

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via Email
• Copy Link

  Link Copied

By P.J. DeCordova-Boyd and Janae Frazier
NBC Connecticut

The homeless woman who was arrested in April for allegedly sending her son to a Norwalk school while living in Bridgeport was arrested Friday for narcotics possession with intent to sell on three separate occasions.

Norwalk police arrested Tanya McDowell, 33, around 4 p.m. on Friday on three warrants and charged with 29 counts of possession of narcotics including possession within 1500 feet of a school. McDowell was found to be in possession of crack cocaine and marijuana near the Columbus Magnet School, police said.

McDowell who’s last known address is in Bridgeport gained attention when she was arrested, accused of stealing education for her 5-year-old son when she enrolled him into kindergarten in Norwalk.

On Tuesday the Reverend Al Sharpton along with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) kicked off a large rally to support equal education throughout Connecticut school districts. The rally’s speakers also called for McDowell’s larceny charges to be dropped.

According to the Connecticut Post, McDowell was at the Norwalk courthouse the same Tuesday to face larceny charges for the alleged theft of her son’s $16,000 education, which is the average annual cost of a Norwalk school education. If convicted she could face a maximum of 20 years. McDowell is being held on a $200,000 bond.

Click here to read more stories from NBC Connecticut