Court Appearance for Alleged Cocaine-Snorting Prostitute Mom

Wendy Knowlton Cook chose not to defend herself as she faced questions of whether she was a bad mother while leaving Schenectady City Court Tuesday.

In fact, the 37-year-old mother from Saratoga Springs had nothing at all to say after confronting charges of prostitution, endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment.

Cook was arrested during a prostitution sting early Monday morning in Schenectady after she offered to perform sex on an undercover officer for money.

After arresting her, Schenectady vice detectives learned Cook had left her five-year-old daughter and eight-week-old son in a car nearby with friends -- and that, according to Lt. Brian Kilcullen, is where the most heinous of Cook's crimes took place.

Police: Cook snorted cocaine off infant's stomach while breastfeeding him

After finding Cook's two children in her car with two adults inside, said Kilcullen, detectives learned that Cook had been out all night smoking crack and snorting cocaine while in the company of her children.

During her drug-fueled spree, Cook performed oral sex on two johns while her kids were awake with her in the car's back seat.

Additionally, Kilcullen continued, Cook placed cocaine on her infant son's stomach and snorted it while she was breastfeeding him.

Cook was arraigned Monday and held at the Schenectady County Jail without bail before she appeared in court the next day.

Judge: 'I've never come across such an atrocity'

During Tuesday's proceedings, Cook cried in court when the judge forced her to sign a protection order mandating that she stay away from her children.

According to court papers, one of Cook's friends told police that Cook was considering selling her children to get more money to buy drugs.

"I've sat in this seat for three years, and I've never come across such an atrocity," the judge said to Cook. "That's saying a lot."

"Congratulations," he added acerbically.

Troubled history of drugs and other arrests

Cook is the daughter of Jack Knowlton, manager and co-owner of Sackatoga Stable, the group that owns famed racing horse Funny Cide.

CBS 6 learned that Cook had previously been arrested in Saratoga County for resisting arrest.

She was in substance abuse counseling and enrolled in drug treatment court at the time of her arrest Monday, said district attorney James Murphy. In fact, she had tested negative for drugs as recently as last Wednesday.

Cook, who is currently being held on $15,000 bail, is due back in court on Oct. 4 for a preliminary hearing for Monday's charges.

As a result, the drug test she had been scheduled to take in Saratoga County for her previous arrest has been postponed.

Murphy said once proceedings are complete in Schenectady County, a warrant will be issued in Saratoga, where Cook could end up serving a year in jail in addition to whatever sentence she receives for her latest charges.

Cook's children remain in the custody of family members, Kilcullen said.

Four other women, all from Schenectady, were arrested Monday on charges of fourth-degree prostitution:

- Florence Bowman, 39, of 19 Swan St.

- Katie Yutes, 28, of 119 Hegeman St.

- Virginia Weldon, 41, of 71 Robinson St.

- Catherine Pritchard, 45, of 906 Congress St.

(CBS 6 Albany)