Rogers County Deputy 'Sick' After He Says Parents Took Infant Along On Burglary

Two people were arrested after taking their 4-month-old son along to burglarize a home, the Rogers County Sheriff's office said Thursday.

Holly Watkins and James Wren were burglarizing a rural Chelsea house Wednesday afternoon when they were interrupted by the homeowner's family, authorities said.

During the arrest, deputies said they found an infant crying inside the couple's vehicle.

In a photo released by RCSO, deputy Scott Phillips, who will be a first-time dad soon, was seen holding and feeding the baby after it was discovered.

"It kind of puts a lump in your throat when you think about the situation," Phillips said. 

Now Phillips is scratching his head.

"It's horrible," he said. "What kind of parent does that?"

Both parents were transported to Rogers County Jail, arrested for burglary, obstructing an officer, knowingly concealing stolen property and child endangerment.

The baby is in DHS custody.

"You've got two thugs wanting to go out here and steal, that's one thing," Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton said. "You've got them introducing a 4-month-old baby into the situation, I certainly think there's a special place in hell for those people."

RCSO said the property owner's teenage son and sister-in-law came home for lunch Wednesday and noticed a white Chevrolet Tahoe pulling of the driveway and a window open with the screen removed.

The home's front door had been unlocked from inside and several jewelry boxes had been disturbed, according to the sheriff's office.

A Rogers County deputy was dispatched and found Watkins walking out of woods that adjoined the residence. Watkins told the deputy she had been in a fight with her boyfriend, and he kicked her out of the car.

While Watkins and the deputy were talking, a white Tahoe, driven by Wren, drove toward them. The deputy stopped the vehicle and Wren identified Watkins as the mother of his child.

Initially, both suspects denied being near the home that was burglarized, deputies said.

When informed a witness had identified the Tahoe, Wren admitted that he "might have turned around in the driveway," according to a statement from authorities.

Deputies located several items of jewelry inside a pillowcase in the woods, near where Watkins was walking.

While speaking with Wren and Watkins, Phillips could hear the baby crying from inside the Tahoe.

Watkins said to officials that she and Wren went to the residence to look for items they could sell. Watkins informed deputies that Wren told her to go into the house and grab what she could while he stayed in the car with the baby and acted as a lookout.

When officials took inventory of the Tahoe, several other jewelry items were located, and the couple said they didn't have any knowledge of the items.

And veteran law enforcement officers? 

"Makes me absolutely sick," Phillips said.

Walton said he is in disbelief over the disregard for something so precious.

"It's so frustrating to see that some thug would introduce a child into a situation like this that could become so dangerous," Walton said.