Police: Mother Drove Drunk With 2-Year-Old In Car

A Gastonia woman faces DWI and child abuse charges, among others, after police said she drove drunk with her 2-year-old son in the car.

Police said they first tried to stop 23-year-old Tia Marie Bradley at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday for “blowing donuts” on West 10th Street at South York Road, according to a warrant affidavit. Bradley took off, police said, and then crashed into a tree.

She then grabbed the 2-year-old and left the scene of the crash, according to police.

When officers found Bradley, they said she was unsteady on her feet, had slurred speech and red, glassy eyes.

Bradley, who has two pending DWI charges, was booked into jail under a $75,000 bond on charges including child abuse, drunken driving, driving without a license, fleeing to elude arrest and felony hit-and-run.

The 2-year-old's father, 25-year-old Stephen Nicholas Stiffler, faces a charge of aiding and abetting child abuse with serious injury.

Police said Stiffler and Bradley were drinking alcohol and were intoxicated with the child present. Stiffler then allowed Bradley to leave with the child, officers said.

“Defendant left the child in a situation that was harmful to the child. Mother was in no condition to care for the child, and no one else was capable of caring for the child,” according to a warrant affidavit.

In court on Friday, Bradley's bond was upped to $100,000. Stiffler's bond was doubled, from $25,000 to $50,000.