Three Grantsville residents charged with felonies after a 3-year-old child in their care ingested methamphetamine appeared in 3rd District Court last week.
Lucinda Marie Black, 30, Ashley Lee Black, 27, and Danie Adam Black, 23, were each charged with second-degree felony cause or permit a child or vulnerable adult to be exposed to a controlled substance, as well as misdemeanor counts of possession or use of a controlled substance and use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Blacks appeared in court on Jan. 8 and each was assigned an attorney and bail was set for all three defendants at $10,000.
Grantsville City police were contacted by emergency room staff at Mountain West Medical Center after the child, a Grantsville resident, arrived at the hospital with meth in their system on Dec. 30 at 6 a.m., according to a probable cause statement.
An officer responded to the hospital to speak with the child’s legal guardian, their grandmother, who said she asked the child’s aunt and uncle about the child’s behavior and they said the child began to act differently after drinking from a water bottle with soda in it.
A Grantsville City detective was called in and upon responding, arrested Danie Black after he stated he recently used methamphetamine, the probable cause statement said. During questioning, Danie Black said his sisters, Lucinda and Ashley Black, gave him meth and the water bottle with the soda likely belonged to one of them.
Danie Black told police Ashley and Lucinda “would always mix him drinks with meth in them,” the statement said. Ashley, Lucinda and Danie Black were brought in for questioning.
Ashley Black submitted to a urine test and it was returned positive for methamphetamine, the probable cause statement said.
In interviews with police, Ashley, Lucinda and Danie Black gave conflicting reports to detectives, according to the statement.
Grantsville City police investigators were able to determine all three of the suspects had methamphetamine in their system and Ashley Black had given meth to Lucinda Black, who then put the drugs in the water bottle, the statement said. The sister then transported the drugs to their mother’s house, where the child was.
Investigators also determined Danie Black took the remaining meth in the water bottle to the bathroom of the home in order to consume the contents.
Ashley, Lucinda and Danie Black are scheduled to appear back in 3rd District Court for a scheduling conference on Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. for a scheduling conference.