ROME, NY — Sometimes one phone call makes all the difference, and in this case, it may have prevented something far worse.

According to the City of Rome Police Department, officers were dispatched to Palmetto Avenue on Sunday, April 11 around 1:47 PM for a welfare check after someone reported hearing a child crying inside the home with no answer at the door.

When officers arrived and got inside, what they found raised immediate concern.

Police say a two-year-old child was discovered alone in a bathtub. While the child did not appear to have visible injuries, the situation was clearly unsafe and required immediate attention.

Inside the same home, officers located an adult female unconscious and breathing. Emergency responders were called in, and both the child and the woman were transported to Rome Health for evaluation.

During the investigation, authorities also reported finding drug paraphernalia inside the residence.

The woman was later identified as Carrie C. Bachmann, 34, of Rome. She has been charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Police say she was released with an appearance ticket and is expected to appear in Rome City Court at a later date.

This incident is a reminder of how critical it is for the community to speak up when something doesn’t seem right. In this case, that call may have helped protect a child from a dangerous situation.

As always, all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.