Mother of 15-year-old found in pond appears in court for unrelated charges

RACINE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) – The mother of a 15-year-old who was found dead in a pond in Racine County is in court on unrelated charges.

Pauline Sanders is facing bail jumping and drug charges.

According to the criminal complaint, her husband was away for business. He told Racine County Sheriff's deputies Pauline had issues with alcohol and huffing aerosol cans. When he got home, Pauline told her husband that her son Austin had left to go fishing because he was mad that she was huffing.

That night, Austin did not come home. The next morning, when the dad went outside he found his son in the pond. 

“Again, in this case, it’s alleged she was huffing air cans that her daughter had videotaped her doing, sent it to their father. In this case, the police were called to the attention her son was found deceased in the water outside her home,” says prosecutor Antoinette Rich.

Her bail has been set for $50,000. She is ordered to have no contact with her husband, daughter, or home. With the exception of her son’s funeral.

Pauline has a criminal background. She was charged with two counts of OWI back in 2015. She has an open case from June 2017, she is facing one count of physical abuse of a child and disorderly conduct. 

She will back in court on the September 27th.