A young mother was arrested Sunday afternoon after Butler police 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 distributing discovery came shortly before 1 p.m. while officers checking a call for suspicious activity outside a car.

Police said when they approached the vehicle, they saw 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 high on drugs.

Officers noticed a cooking spoon and a dirty cotton swab on her lap. Next to her, documents said, was a pouch with two full bags and six empty bags of suspected heroin and an uncapped syringe.

“Carlson did admit to (police) that she had just shot heroin before officers arriving,” documents said.

In back of the car were two of Carlson’s daughters, ages 4 years old and 22 months.

At her arraignment, Carlson, who is single and unemployed, told District Judge Sue Haggerty that she has another child, age 7.

The Butler County Children and Youth Services has taken custody of her children, police said.

Carlson and Gerken were 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 were placed in the Butler County Prison on $10,000 bail each.