Arkansas parents arrested after 1-year-old's blood tests positive for meth, police say

From left, Matthew Faith and Brandi Williams
From left, Matthew Faith and Brandi Williams

A northwest Arkansas couple was arrested Saturday after their 1-year-old child's blood tested positive for methamphetamine, according to reports from the Fayetteville Police Department.

Officers reportedly met Fayetteville residents Matthew Faith, 46, and Brandi Williams, 29, at Washington Regional Medical Center about 7 p.m. after a nurse called and said their son's blood had tested positive for meth.

Faith told an officer that he and Williams had taken the child to the hospital because he had been unusually fussy and didn't nap all day. He added that he had made a comment earlier to Williams that it appeared the baby had "eaten a crack rock" based on his behavior, the report said.

Police noted that Faith's forehead was sweating profusely as he spoke and that he was talking quickly with his eyes darting back and forth, giving him the appearance of being under the influence of methamphetamine. Faith reportedly denied having recently used meth.

A urine test later confirmed that Faith had methamphetamine and several other illicit substances in his system, and a cellophane wrapper found in his SUV tested positive for methamphetamine, according to authorities.

Meanwhile, Williams told another officer that she knew the child's blood would test positive for methamphetamine, the report states. Police said that she told officers she smokes methamphetamine daily and does smoke in her home with her two children, ages 1 and 10, present.

She told police she had been using meth for two days in a row and had sold the drug before, the report said. She reportedly added that she had smoked marijuana earlier in the day. Officers noted that she had "very flushed and lacy skin" and smelled like burnt marijuana.

Williams informed officers that she had been passing drug screenings by using someone else's urine and that there was drug paraphernalia in her home and vehicle, according to report.

Then, police wrote, Williams admitted that she had sent a text message to 43-year-old John Huskins, who was at the apartment she shared with Faith and her children, asking him to remove any illegal items he could find before authorities arrived.

Huskins admitted to hiding multiple methamphetamine pipes under the back porch in response to the message, the report states.

When they searched the apartment, officers reportedly found controlled substances and drug paraphernalia in several rooms, including some where a child could access them. Williams told police she had seen the 1-year-old eat a narcotic pill in the hallway Oct. 19, the report said.

The Department of Health and Human Services reportedly took Williams’ two sons into custody.

Faith and Williams face charges that include endangering the welfare of a minor and possession of drug paraphernalia. Huskins is charged with tampering with physical evidence.

All three were released on bail hours after being booked into the Washington County jail, records show.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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