SATSUMA, Fla. – The search is underway for a Putnam Couty couple accused of child neglect after deputies responded to reports of an unresponsive child.
Furthermore, a search warrant led to the discovery of drugs, multiple guns, and ammunition inside their home.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office received a call about an unresponsive 1-year-old on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Investigators said 33-year-old Bruce Harris carried the lifeless child to the patrol car where a deputy rendered aid until paramedics arrived.
“I worked on the child for approximately six minutes. At first, the child had nothing, and he was able to be revived right before I gave him off to rescue services,” K-9 Deputy Colt Wade told News4JAX.
Colt said he initially thought the child was choking on food.
Paramedics used Narcan to revive the child before the toddler was taken to the hospital.
The child’s mother, Ti’Tashua Thomas, 27, told paramedics that her son had eaten an unknown substance.
Doctors said the child may have swallowed one of Harris' prescription Oxycodone pills. Deputies said Harris left the hospital to return to his Satsuma home once he realized they were still at the house.
Deputies got a warrant to search the house.
Wade said Harris was resistant to the deputies searching his home.
Wade said he had a growing suspicion about searching the home after Harris was resistant to the deputies being there.
Deputies said they found small baggies of marijuana packaged for sale, an assortment of opioid pills, a small bag of cocaine, meth pills, several bags containing an unknown white powdery substance, and multiple guns and ammunition within reach of a child.
Investigators said Thomas is a nurse and had four additional children living in the home as well.
“Completely unacceptable, especially in this county. We will not have it,” Wade said.
The 1-year-old is expected to recover from the incident; meanwhile, Thomas and Harris face child neglect charges.
Harris also faces additional charges including six counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, cocaine possession, and drug trafficking.