A daycare owner in Arkansas is facing multiple charges after two kids reportedly ingested marijuana at her in-home facility. Local outlet KYTV cited court documents naming Tamantha McPherson as the owner responsible for the incident.
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Arkansas Police Are Charging The Daycare Owner With These Violations
The 58-year-old has four counts against her, per KYTV, which include two counts of introducing a controlled substance into the body of another and two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
Local police became aware of the incident after the parents of a two-year-old girl noted her unfamiliar behavior on April 3, 2024. They took the child to the hospital, where she underwent lab exams. The results reportedly showed the presence of marijuana in the child’s system.
During questioning, the parents of the toddler denied having marijuana in their house. Additionally, they said the daycare owner also did not have permission to issue medications without their consent.
Two days later, police encountered a similar incident involving Tamantha McPherson’s facility. This time, on April 5, a 15-month-old boy was involved. His parents again said the child wasn’t functioning normally. A visit to the pediatrician uncovered marijuana in the child’s blood test. Again, an investigation revealed the child could not have accessed the drug at his parent’s home.
How Police Traced The Marijuana To The Daycare
After noting the pattern in the whereabouts of the drugged kids, authorities spoke with Tamantha. She admitted to having THC gummies stored in her kitchen area, which the kids had access to play and eat in. Court documents reportedly state that McPherson purchases the assumed personal-use gummies in Missouri and transports them to her home in Arkansas.
Local reports have not revealed how the kids accessed the drugs and whether Tamantha knew the children had ingested the gummies before the parents’ complaints.
Furthermore, the 58-year-old admitted to having eight children enrolled in her in-home facility. It’s unclear if the daycare owner is currently behind bars and when she’s due back in court.
