On March 29, 2026, the Ephrata Police Department charged Jason Eddy, 39, of Ephrata, with one count of Endangering the Welfare of Children (M1).  On 03/15/2026, Ephrata Police responded to the Ephrata Food Mart and Smokeshop, 175 S Reading Rd, Ephrata for a child left unattended in a vehicle.  Police determined that Eddy left his seven-year-old child in his vehicle for over an hour while he played skill machines inside. When confronted with leaving his child in the vehicle, Eddy indicated he had experienced issues with the businesses’ restroom which he tried to fix.  Video surveillance from the business confirmed that Eddy spent one hour and three minutes inside the business while his child remained outside in the vehicle.  Eddy is presumed innocent.