Woman breaks into mental health facility to use restroom

Aug. 22--WELCH -- Wanting to use the restroom was a McDowell County woman's explanation to police early Friday morning after she allegedly broke into a local mental health facility.

Officer Walter Rutherford with the Welch Police Department responded 3:30 a.m. to an alarm activation at the Southern Highlands Mental Health Center in the Coney Island section of Welch, Chief Eugene Muncy said.

Upon arrival, Rutherford found a broken window with spots of blood on it. Members of the Southern Highlands staff arrived and opened the building, Muncy stated.

After conducting a search, Rutherford found Catherine Short, 27, of Coalwood locked in a bathroom.

When Short was arrested, she was wearing gloves. She told the officer that she had, "just came in to use the bathroom, but didn't want to leave fingerprints," Muncy said in a statement he released Friday.

Short was arraigned before Magistrate Richard Vandyke on a charge of breaking and entering, and bond was set at $5,000, Muncy stated.

Short was remanded to the McDowell County Holding Unit pending transport to the Southwestern Regional Jail in Raleigh County. She had not posted bond as of Friday afternoon.

-- Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

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