FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A Fairmont couple is charged with child neglect after a grade-schooler told educators and police that a family member was keeping prescribed medication from him to use recreationally.
Sgt. A. Scott, with the West Virginia State Police Crimes Against Children Unit, interviewed the 9-year-old at school regarding his behavior. The boy told Scott hadn’t received his medication that particular day and that Bobby Karnes, 33, takes half of the medication himself. The victim also told school officials of additional drug use in the home.
In an interview with investigators, Chrystal Myers, 32, reportedly told police she’d known Karnes had been using the victim’s medicine for approximately one year. Myers said she didn’t report Karnes’ behavior because she “was too scared and worried her children would be taken away”, according to the police report.
She allegedly admitted to trying Suboxone in recent weeks and told police Karnes “is hooked on Suboxone”.
Karnes admitted to taking some of the victim’s medication and illegally using Suboxone at the home and snorting drugs through a straw, noted Scott.
Karnes and Myers were arraigned in Marion County Magistrate Court Monday charged with felony child neglect creating risk of injury.