Mother, man arrested
A young mother was arrested Sunday afternoon after Butler police say they caught her in a car with suspected heroin, a syringe and other drug contraband.
In the back seat, police said, were two of her children, including a 22-month-old girl.
Angela C. Carlson, 23, of Connoquenessing Township admitted she had shot heroin just before the city officers found her in the 800 block of Wood Street, court documents said.
The disturbing discovery came shortly before 1 p.m. while officers were answering a call about suspicious activity outside a parked car.
Police said when they approached the vehicle they spotted the suspect in the driver's seat hand something to a man, who was leaning inside the open passenger door.
The man, identified as Roy E. Gerken, 30, of Butler, it turned out had three empty stamp bags of suspected heroin, documents said. He also appeared to be high on drugs.
Officers, meanwhile, noticed a cooking spoon and a dirty cotton swab on Carlson's lap. Next to her, documents said, was a pink pouch containing two full bags and six empty bags of suspected heroin and an uncapped syringe.
Another uncapped syringe was spotted on the driver's door handle.
“Carlson did admit to (police) that she had just shot heroin prior to officers arriving,” documents said.
Seated in back of the car, police said, were two of Carlson's daughters, ages 4 years old and 22 months.
At her later arraignment, the defendant, who is single and unemployed, told District Judge Sue Haggerty that she has another child, age 7.
The Butler County Children and Youth Services agency was notified and took custody of the defendant's children, police said.
Carlson and Gerken were both arraigned on two counts of corruption of minors and charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and public drunkenness.Additionally, Carlson is charged with possession of a controlled substance.Both defendants were placed in the Butler County Prison on $10,000 bail each following arraignment.
