Police Find Drugs In Cruces Home, File Child Abuse Charges

LAS CRUCES – Police in Las Crucesfound two boys living in filthy conditionsand surrounded by drugs.

The Dona Ana County District Attorney’s office said theyoungerof the two boystested positive for methamphetamine.Police have since made two arrests: the mother of the boys and her boyfriend.

Sarah Wharton, 25, from Las CrucesandDavid Copeland, 24,are both charged with two counts of child abuse. On Nov. 5, two officers went to their house afterthey receiveda tip that the children might beliving in dangerous conditions.

Once inside, investigators found a marijuana plant, pipes and bongs.

In the kitchen, police said they found two metal spoons that had what investigators believe was residue of a narcotic. Needles and syringes were also found.

Police said Copeland admitted to injecting the painkiller Oxycontin and to smoking meth. They also said the 7-year-old boy drew pictures of a pipe and told officers thatCopeland fired a gun inside the house to kill a spider.

Another discovery police said they made: the three-year-oldboy tested positive for meth at a levelthree times higher than what is necessary for detection.

“It’s just a sad thing that this is happening to our children,” said Amy Orlando,adeputy district attorney for Dona Ana County.

There is no word on how the drug got into the child’s system. Wharton denied using any drugs, though she had what appear to be track marks on her arms and she refused to take a drug test, police said.

In October, Judge James Martin awarded custody of the kids toWharton, even though Wharton’s mother had asked the judge not to do so. When asked why, Judge Martinsaid he could not comment onthe ongoing case.