Monessen parents charged after child tests positive for drugs
Monessen police arrested the parents of a 2-year-old girl this week after the child was hospitalized and tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl.
Travis Lee Holmes, 41, and Sable Chantela Ford, 36, each face a felony charge of endangering the welfare of children, and misdemeanors of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the criminal complaint, at about 4:30 p.m. Oct. 4, police were called to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital after the child had tested positive for drugs.
Charging documents state the girl’s foster mother had dropped her off at Holmes’ and Ford’s home in the 200 block of Linden Avenue the previous day for an unsupervised visit.
Ford initially claimed her daughter had picked up a baggie containing drugs in a field near the home and placed it in her mouth. However, both she and Holmes allegedly admitted the child had found the baggie in their front yard, charging documents state.
According to the complaint, police obtained a search warrant for their home and discovered a blue baggie, a smoking pipe, two stamp bags, scales and a “large sum” of money. Investigators found that residue in one of the baggies tested positive for cocaine.
Ford and Holmes were arraigned Thursday before District Judge Wayne Vlasic, who sent them to the Westmoreland County jail on $50,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 5.