NEW CASTLE, DE — Delaware State Police have arrested 38-year-old Ajeenah Hopes of Newark following a welfare check at a New Castle bar early Monday morning. The charges against Hopes include carrying a concealed firearm without a permit and endangering the welfare of children.
On January 1, 2024, around 12:33 a.m., troopers responded to Pockets Bar on S. Dupont Highway after receiving reports of children left unattended in a running van for several hours. Upon arrival, they discovered the children in the van and subsequently found their mother, Ajeenah Hopes, in the parking lot.
According to troopers, Hopes exhibited signs of intoxication when they made contact with her. She was then taken into custody. A subsequent search revealed a concealed firearm in Hopes’ purse. A computer check confirmed that Hopes did not possess a permit to carry a concealed firearm.
Hopes was transported to Troop 2, where she was formally charged with carrying a concealed firearm (a felony), three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, possession of a firearm while under the influence, and leaving a motor vehicle unattended. Following arraignment by Justice of the Peace Court 11, Hopes was committed to Delores J. Baylor Correctional Institution on a $12,501 cash bond.
It’s important to note that an arrest or a criminal complaint is not a declaration of guilt. Ajeenah Hopes, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.