SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio — A four-year-old child is in the hospital, and her parents are in jail.
According to Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman, deputies received a call from Portsmouth Police regarding a four-year-old child at King’s Daughters Medical Center.
Medical staff told authorities that the child had severe skull fractures and may have ingested illegal drugs. A medical helicopter transported the child to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
Officials said local law enforcement searched multiple motels looking for the child’s mother.
On Thursday morning, deputies with detectives from the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office located the mother, Breana Lambert, 23, Portsmouth, and her boyfriend, Johnny Smith, 39, West Portsmouth, at a hotel in Rosemont.
The mother’s boyfriend, Johnny Smith, told detectives that he was at the Dollar General playing with the child while her mother was inside shopping. Smith said that he was tossing the child in the air and catching her when he dropped her, causing her head to strike the pavement.
Smith went on to say that they returned to the hotel, and the child appeared to be ok. Later in the day, Smith claims, the child began acting strange. The couple allegedly put the child in an ice bath before transporting her to KDMC.
Law enforcement said the couple had nearly 10 grams of heroin in their possesion.
Among the charges, Lambert faces include felony child endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Smith also faces a felony child endangerment charge. Officials say Smith was also wanted for a bench warrant and parole violation.
The Sheriff told the media that the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be possible.
The couple currently resides in the Scioto County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court, Tuesday, October 12.