The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office received a tip about suspicious activity at a home on Biggerstaff Road that turned out to be a meth lab, according to investigators. Authorities in protective gear removed what was noted as volatile materials used in making meth from the home.
Three children were taken by social services as a result of the in-home meth lab bust. Two women now face child abuse charges in addition to maintaining a drug house to manufacture meth. In total, four adults were arrested on drug charges in the meth bust.
According to police, there was an ongoing drug investigation that was tied to one of the cars at the home on Biggerstaff Road. When the police arrived and asked to search the car, they were given consent to do so. Inside the car were precursor chemicals that are used to cook meth using the one-pot method.
After discovering the drug paraphernalia in the car, officers secured a warrant to search the home. That search turned up additional evidence that the home was being used as a meth lab. The drug charges against the women involved include possession of a meth precursor, a felony drug charge in North Carolina, and child abuse charges for the two mothers of the three children at the home.
Misdemeanor child abuse in North Carolina includes both inflicting injury on a child who is 16 years old or younger as wells as putting that child at a substantial risk of serious injury. In the case of the alleged meth lab, the ingredients and the byproducts of meth production are known to be both hazardous and volatile, creating a risk of serious health issues as well as burns and other injuries if the cooking process results in an explosion.
Source: WSOCTV, “Police: 2 mothers, 2 others arrested after meth bust,” June 12, 2013