Colorado police find 11-week-old baby covered in drug residue inside vehicle
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. – An 11-week-old infant was found on the floorboard of a vehicle, covered in blankets and drug residue, Colorado police said.
According to a news release from the Wheat Ridge Police Department, the child was discovered during what originally appeared to be a ”simple theft incident” on Monday.
An employee at a King Soopers grocery store in Wheat Ridge reported a theft to an officer who was on a routine patrol, police said.
Police said the suspect was cooperative and opened her trunk to return the items she allegedly stole, KKCO-TV reported.
However, the officer said that when he walked around the vehicle, he was “overcome” by the odor of drugs, police said.
The officer said he observed a car seat but no child in it. However, an inspection of the front passenger seat floorboard revealed the child covered in blankets and drug residue, according to police.
Police said that a “significant’ amount of drugs, including fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the vehicle, KKCO reported.
The infant was taken to an area hospital for an examination, and Child Protective Services placed her in the custody of a relative, according to the television station.
The suspect was arrested and charged with theft, felony drug possession and child abuse, police said. Two other adult passengers were cited.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you to the employee who stopped us,” police said in their news release. “We’ve said it before but we can’t say it enough — oftentimes a seemingly less serious offense reveals a more serious crime. And in this case, the employee’s willingness to contact one of our officers may have saved a child’s life.”
