Monday, December 12, 2022 - A Sallisaw woman and a Muldrow man were charged Dec. 6 with child neglect after police learned a 3-year-old had been exposed to drugs and drug paraphernalia scattered throughout the house.
In addition to the felony arrest, Adam Eugene Walters, 41, was charged with the possession of a controlled dangerous substance (methamphetamine) and the unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors.
Crystal Lynn Ragsdale Brown, 35, was also charged with child neglect, plus prisoner placing body fluid on a government employee, a felony, along with possession of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
The penalty for child neglect is imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections not exceeding life, a fine of $5,000 or both.
On Dec. 2, an investigator was called to the Roland Police Department, where he learned of an alleged case of child neglect. He was also advised that Brown had been at Baptist Hospital for treatment of injuries allegedly inflicted by Walters.
When the investigator met with Brown, the child with her was not wearing any pants or underwear. The officer didn’t notice any bruises or markings on either Brown or the child.
In an interview, Brown said that around 4 a.m. that day, Walters got mad at her and punched her in the face and ear. She said she left the residence, then told the officer that Walters had drugs in the home and that their 3-year-old child had even held a spoon used for meth. She told the officer that she feared for her son’s safety because of the drugs and needles in the home.
Walters said he never hit Brown and that she was making it up. He stated that she wasn’t even at his residence when she said she was hit.
Walters agreed to show the officer his phone, which showed that Brown had been texting him that day, asking him to get her some pills. The officer also reported that Walters had no markings on him to indicate he had been in any type of fight.
The officer returned to Brown and asked her if she had been contacting Walters for pills. Brown said no, but the officer showed her the messages from his phone. Brown admitted the messages were sent from her phone but said she had not sent them.
The officer contacted DHS to take custody of the child and Walters and Brown were arrested and taken to the Sequoyah County jail.
A short time afterward, another officer reported that Brown intentionally coughed in his face and told him she had COVID.
Lindsie Dyer, Staff Writer
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