DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — A mom now charged with murder in Douglasville after her 3-year-old died after a night in the woods in the freezing cold had a prior child cruelty case, records show.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that Uriha Ridge was facing murder charges after she was found in the woods earlier this month with her two small children far from the Fox Hall Resort, a hotel they had been staying at.
Deputies said the children were "soaking wet" and the temperatures had been below freezing throughout the entire night. Ridge and her two children were rushed to the hospital, and at some point thereafter, her 3-year-old died from what deputies said was exposure to the conditions.
According to arrest warrants, Ridge had prior child cruelty charges stemming from a November 2022 incident at the Thunderzone Bowling and Family Entertainment Center in Douglasville.
In that instance, according to arrest warrants, she punched her older child -- who survived the freezing overnight conditions -- and was accused of "grabbing (him) by the neck and dragging (him) from one area of the business to another" and "slapping (him) multiple times in the face with an open hand."
The warrants further alleged Ridge had dropped her now-deceased younger child "from shoulder level while being heavily intoxicated." Ridge was also accused in that incident of generally "yelling at children and using curse words around families" at the business.
Ridge was granted a $5,000 bond in that case in November 2022.
11Alive reached out to the Georgia Department of Children and Family Services Thursday when learning of her prior charges for comments. On Monday, DCFS officials said in a statement, "we opened a case following an incident of maltreatment requiring law enforcement intervention. The case was substantiated and later closed, with a safety plan in place and a referral for services."
DFCS continued in their statement that they are "committed" to help law enforcement with their case if needed.
The investigation into the freezing incident alleged that Ridge had taken drugs before going out to the woods with her children and during the time in the woods. Ridge allegedly left the resort hotel off Capps Ferry Road in Douglasville around midnight on Jan. 16 and did not call for help until 11:51 a.m. the same morning -- nearly a full 12 hours later.
Deputies said they believe that the drugs Ridge was on are responsible for her taking her 3-year-old and 7-year-old children into the woods, dressed in thin clothes and staying out in the woods in the rain and sub-freezing temperatures for hours before her toddler died and the young child was hospitalized.
Ridge is being held at the Douglas County Jail without bond on the following charges:
- Felony murder
- Two counts of first-degree cruelty to children
- Two counts of second-degree cruelty to children