East Tennessee mother sentenced for endangerment of disabled child
December 6, 2022; 10:01 p.m.

Autumn Culver Samen of Erwin, TN, has been sentenced to probation for leaving disabled preschooler alone in the streets of Erwin.

UNICOI COUNTY, TN -- On December 5, Autumn Culver Samen was sentenced to one year supervised probation for allowing her developmentally disabled four-year-old to wander the streets alone outside their home at 109 Gay Street in downtown Erwin last summer.

According to reports, Samen was arrested for child endangerment on June 11, 2022, after her child was found alone in the downtown streets on more than one occasion, once wearing only a diaper. Samen smelled strongly of alcohol upon the child’s return and claimed that she was “proud” of the non-verbal child for “being brave and going on an adventure.”

The child was removed from Samen’s custody briefly, and returned on a provisional basis. That provisional custody was revoked in August after Samen was arrested in Washington County, TN, on felony child neglect charges. According to police reports, Samen left the child alone in a car in Johnson City on the night of July 31, 2022, while she went into Wonderland Lounge N Grill. Based on witness statements, the child was left alone in the unlocked car for at least an hour, and was found by police asleep in soaking wet and soiled clothing, concealed by a pillow in the back seat. Samen’s trial in Washington County is set for January 31, 2023.

Samen is a recent resident of Asheville, NC, where she currently faces DUI and other charges relating to a probation violation.

The child is reportedly with family and is doing well.