Sheriff Vows To Step Up Fight Where Children Are Endangered By Drugs

Sheriff Greg Bartlett said he plans to step up the fight against parents endangering their children with drugs, such as a Somerville couple who remained jailed Tuesday, accused of raising their baby in a meth lab.

Of 400 to 450 methamphetamine labs raided in Morgan County in the last four years, 60 to 70 percent of the residences had children living in them, Bartlett said.

"We're running into these houses where these kids are being forced to live in a meth lab. They're walking around barefoot and the red phosphorous is being absorbed through their skin. We've had some with esophagus damage from inhaling the fumes. These parents are killing their kids," Bartlett said.

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