Winthrop Woman Arrested for Permitting Abuse of Minor

A Winthrop woman, 41-year-old Mary Miller, also known as Mary Cowan, was arrested on Monday, November 18, 2024, and charged with permitting the abuse of a minor and endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree. The charges stem from her alleged failure to report and prevent the sexual abuse of three minor children in her care.

According to a police affidavit, James Cowan and Mary Cowan are the parents and legal guardians of the three victims involved in the case, as well as other children who were living in the home at the time of the alleged abuse. In an interview with law enforcement on March 12, 2024, Mary Cowan reportedly admitted to learning about the abuse on February 1, 2024, when the victims disclosed the allegations to her.

The affidavit states that after the victims informed her of the abuse, Mary Cowan returned home with her husband, James Cowan, and the victims. During the same interview, Mary also allegedly told law enforcement that James had admitted to her that he had touched the victims inappropriately.

Despite knowing about the abuse, Mary Cowan reportedly did not contact law enforcement immediately. She claimed that after learning of the allegations, she suffered a seizure in the laundry room of her home. However, police records indicate that she made no further attempt to notify authorities. Instead, she reportedly contacted her oldest daughter on February 1, 2024, to discuss the allegations. Mary Cowan was reportedly still living with James Cowan when he was arrested on February 2, 2024.

Mary Cowan’s failure to act to protect the children or report the abuse led to the charges against her. She was taken into custody on Monday and is facing serious criminal charges for failing to prevent further harm to the minors involved.

James Cowan remains the primary suspect in the case, though additional investigations are ongoing. Mary Cowan is being held in custody as the legal process unfolds.