A 31-year-old Marion County woman is facing felony child neglect and drug charges after deputies say a young child in her care tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine following three separate calls for service in a matter of hours.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Karen Elizabeth Thompson was arrested Feb. 27 and charged with neglect of a child without great bodily harm, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She is being held without bond.
The investigation began at 11:31 p.m. Feb. 26 when Marion County Fire Rescue responded to a report of a child “turning blue” at a residence. Deputies were dispatched but canceled before making contact.
At 12:47 a.m., deputies responded again to the same location for a reported verbal disturbance. According to the affidavit, a woman on scene urged Thompson to call an ambulance to transport the child to the hospital. Deputies noted Thompson did not meet Baker Act criteria at that time and the call was closed after she agreed to take the child to Summerfield ER for evaluation.
At 3:47 a.m., deputies were called to the emergency room after hospital staff reported they were uncomfortable releasing the child to Thompson, stating she appeared “out of it” and was talking to walls. During the visit, lab results indicated the child tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine.
Detectives said Thompson admitted she had used methamphetamine between 2 and 3 p.m. Feb. 26 and rated herself a “3” on a 1–10 sobriety scale. She told investigators she typically ingests small amounts of methamphetamine in the bathroom and regularly smokes marijuana inside the home. She also acknowledged there were occasions she consumed methamphetamine near the child.
Thompson further told detectives that approximately two weeks earlier she smoked too much and fell asleep on a Sunday, not waking until Tuesday, while four children were at the home without another guardian present, according to the report.
Detectives obtained a residential search warrant and executed it later that day. Inside a backpack in the bedroom, investigators located a white crystal-like substance that field-tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine, a green leafy substance that tested presumptive positive for THC, and a clear bubble-style pipe used for smoking methamphetamine. Additional marijuana, burnt marijuana cigarettes, and pipes were located in a dresser drawer and on a wall opposite the bed.
The affidavit states approximately one gram of methamphetamine and 15 grams of marijuana were recovered. Investigators noted the substances were readily accessible and that the child had been within arm’s reach of marijuana while lying on the bed during an earlier law enforcement response.
Detectives concluded the child’s exposure was the result of willful neglect and lack of supervision.
