Woman charged with keeping ball goes free

BLUE ASH, Ohio, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Authorities in Blue Ash, Ohio, said they have dropped charges against a woman who was charged with theft after refusing to return a ball to children.

Blue Ash City Solicitor Mark Vanderlaan and City Prosecutor Mark Arnzen said they dropped petty theft charges against Edna Jester, 89, Wednesday because they lacked sufficient culpability to pursue her prosecution, WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, reported Thursday.

Blue Ash Police Capt. James Schaffer said Monday police twice warned Jester she would be arrested if she did not cooperate. She was eventually booked after she refused to accept a citation.

Schaffer said Jester and her neighbors had been feuding about children playing in her yard prior to the incident.