Charges filed
Two women face charges, including child endangerment, after four children ranging in age from 23 months to 5 years old were found in deplorable conditions inside a Canton Township motel room Friday morning.
State police received a call at about 9:45 a.m. from Washington County Children and Youth Services to respond to America’s Best Hotel on West Chestnut Street for a report of two women smoking crack and injecting heroin in front of several small children.
Police found Nyeacha Patrice Wilson, 24, of Wickhaven, Fayette County, and Vanessa Raye Mutschler, 27, of Canonsburg, along with the children, inside a room. Both women were under the influence of heroin, police said.
Police said conditions of the children and room were deplorable. The children were not wearing clothes or shoes. The diapers of the younger children were full.
Permission to search the room was granted to police. Syringes and empty stamp bags of suspected heroin were found in purses and clothing within reach of the children. An empty stamp bag had suspected heroin residue.
The room had food and garbage spilling out of the trash cans, police said.
Police said the two women and children were in the room for several days. Hotel staff told police the room was being paid for by someone calling in a credit card number. Police said the tip to CYS was reportedly made by a relative of one of the women.
State police took the children into protective custody. They were then turned over to CYS, which will place them with family members. Mutschler had a 23-month-old boy while Wilson had two boys, ages 2 and 3, and a 5-year-old girl, police said.
Charges of endangering the welfare of children and reckless endangerment will be filed against both women at the office of District Judge David Mark. Wilson also will be charged with four counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. Mutschler was placed in Washington County jail on a probation detainer. Wilson, who police said was working at a restaurant across from the hotel, was released.