It was important that four Laramie women accused of breaking coronavirus isolation orders be prosecuted so they would not expose others to the illness, according to Albany County’s prosecuting attorney.
Peggy Trent told the Cowboy State Daily that the four women, who are to face misdemeanor charges of breaking compliance orders, did not abide by the isolation orders issued by county and state officials.
“All I want is for individuals to stay home so they don’t infect others,” she said. “Our goal has been to get these young ladies into compliance, which is why we had to be so urgent in our movements.”
Alexanna Dewaard, Darbi Buckmiller and Rachel Gaydos are all roomates and Hannah Siderfin is a friend of the women. Dewaard, Buckmiller and Gaydos were ordered on May 22 to isolate themselves because they were suspected of having coronavirus, according to court documents.
An isolation order was issued for Siderfin on May 25.
According to Kim Deti, a spokeswoman for the Wyoming Department of Health, isolation orders are “generally issued for people who are known to have a disease.”
Under the order, the women were not to leave their homes except to obtain health care until they were notified that they were no longer suspected of being contagious.
According to documents filed in circuit court in Albany County, on Tuesday, Allias received Snapchat videos showing the four women at Lake Hattie with an unknown man.
Allias also received information that Dewaard had been shopping at Ridley’s Family Market in Laramie one day after the quarantine order was issued. It was reported Gaydos was shopping at Ridley’s on May 25, the documents said.
Allias also received other information about all four women leaving the house when they were supposed to quarantine.
On Wednesday, county officials filed criminal charges against the four women. They are to make their first court appearance on June 15.
Trent said she couldn’t comment on how the four women were tracked or whether complaints about the roommates were submitted anonymously.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 3:30 p.m. to clarify that the four women were placed under isolation orders, which are issued “for people who are known to have a disease” and that Siderfin is a friend, not a roommate of the other three women. Also updated to clarify Harrist had no part in the decision to pursue charges.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 3:20 p.m. to specify that all four women were under isolation orders, which are issued for people who are known to have a disease, and to correct to state Siderfin is a friend of the other women, not a roommate.
