Daniel Prince
They face charges of child neglect and drug possession
Four people living at a residence on Stutts Avenue face charges, including child neglect, following several overdoses.
Monday evening, Officer Christian Patterson was dispatched to 303 Stutts Avenue for a report of a drug overdose. Officers arrived on scene and found an unconscious woman lying in the front yard. She was later identified as 20-year-old Chelsea Spence. Spence’s fingers and lips were blue, so Officer Voiselle administered two doses of Narcan nasal spray to her. Spence did not immediately regain consciousness, so Voiselle administered aid until EMS arrived on scene and took her into custody.
EMS personnel notified the officers they had been to the address a few hours earlier due to an overdose, as well. Officers spoke to the other residents, identified as 27-year-old Ashley Nicole Gault, 24-year-old Alexander Kyle Foster, and 21-year-old Joshua Nathan Gault. Joshua Gault told officers that Spence had snorted blue pills earlier and afterwards collapsed in the yard.
Officer Patterson observed all three individuals on scene were also under the influence. Ashley Gault stated she had just gotten back from the hospital from overdosing earlier and had not taken anything since. The other two stated they had taken drugs hours earlier. Patterson observed that Ashley Gault had problems staying conscious and was very lethargic.
Officers Patterson and Voiselle entered the residence and observed three children present. The children appeared dirty and ill. Joshua Gault said the children were his and Spence’s. He stated they had all been sick, but he did not know for how long. Due to the overdoses occurring within hours of each other, a search warrant was issued for the residence and a vehicle outside the residence. Officer Patterson contacted DSS and reported the three children were in immediate danger to their health due to neglect and being in the presence of narcotics. He told DSS the children had no suitable supervision, as all parents had either overdosed or were under the influence. He informed DSS to bring three car seats, as Gault did not have any. Gault said he could not remember the children’s birthdays, only their names.
During the search, Investigator Dylan Beheler found three pills—two white pills marked Xanax and a crushed circular blue pill. EMS was called back to the scene for Ashley Gault as her condition worsened. EMS advised she was close to overdosing again and removed her from the scene. As EMS was evaluating Gault, officers found a clear bag with pieces of a blue pill within reaching distance of all three individuals. Ashley Nicole Gault, Chelsea Spence, Joshua Nathan Gault, and Alexander Kyle Foster are all charged with unlawful neglect of a child and possession of a Schedule I drug.