A new case of children being left unattended at the backseat of a car while their parents were on the front seats unconscious was reported in Florida. The couple was arrested after a video showing them drugged out was posted online.
The parents were identified as 36-year-old William Ballard and 32-year-old Delaney Crissinger. The video showed the two inside their Chevrolet SUV and the clip was said to be recorded by a customer at a gas station where the vehicle was parked.
The incident took place on Wednesday in Sarasota, Florida. The two have since been charged with child neglect, New York Post reported.
Witnesses called the cops on the couple after they saw drugs inside the vehicle where there was a 5-month-old baby and an 18-month-old in the backseat of the car. Police said when they arrived at the scene, the couple was still asleep. Syringe was seen next to a container of a baby formula located at the feet of Crissinger.
A deputy opened the door of the vehicle and that was when the couple regained consciousness. Crissinger reportedly tried to hide a small plastic bag, which was suspected to have crystal meth in it. Eventually, Crissinger admitted she had crystal meth and a pipe but denied she knew anything about the syringe found near her feet.
Other items found inside the vehicle of the couple were a spoon, a scale, empty plastic bags and 12 bags of heroin. Ballard claimed he started to sell heroin after he lost his job.
As per the CCTV video, the couple pulled into the station in the early hours of Jan. 19 and were still seen in the area at around 8 a.m. when passers-by took notice of them, International Business Times reported. The children were placed in the care of other family members.
This new report about a drugged out couple with their kids in the backseat follows a similar incident in September in Ohio. A couple was also seen passed out in the front seats of their car while a 4-year-old boy was left in the backseat.
The photo was posted by authorities although it was offensive to others. They believe it was the best way to inform the others about drug overdose.
