A St. Augustine woman is accused of hiding drugs in a baby’s car seat cushion.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kimberly Ethridge, 39, Sunday on charges of child neglect without great bodily harm, possession of drug equipment and possession of cocaine and marijuana.
Her boyfriend, 42-year-old John Bowman, was charged with child neglect without great bodily harm and possession of cocaine.
Investigators said Ethridge was accompanied with a 5-month-old and 12-year-old when she and Bowman used illicit drugs inside the Burger King bathroom on S.R. 207.
Deputies made contact with the couple who gave permission to search the vehicle. During the search, the Sheriff’s Office said they found a make-up case with crack cocaine and a broken glass crack pipe concealed under the lining of the child’s car seat cushion.
Detectives also located a green backpack with a prescription bottle that contained cocaine. According to the report, there was a transparent box inside the backpack that held four bottles of liquid methadone, which was prescribed to Ethridge and Bowman.
Investigator continued searching the car and found marijuana and Xanax hidden in a make-up case that was stashed inside a container of powdered baby formula.
A search of the trashcan inside the Burger King bathroom turned up a straw with a white powdery residue and a wadded-up paper towel that contained a charred substance that had a strong chemical odor, per SJSO.
Ethridge had her bond $9500.00 and Bowman’s bond was set $6000.00.
The Florida Department of Children and Families confirms to WOKV that they have launched an investigation in to this case.
“We’re definitely very concerned about these allegations. You hate hearing about parents putting their children in danger like this,” says DCF Spokesman John Harrell.
He says they’re looking in to the home conditions of this family to ensure the children will be safe.
If you suspect child abuse or neglect, Harrell says you’re required to report it to the state. You can call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE.
