A Benton County woman is facing drug and child neglect charges after being arrested last Thursday evening. Kendra M. McMahel, 37, was found by deputies responding to a report of a woman injecting something into her arm in a car outside a Boswell Dollar General store. A joint effort by Benton County deputies and the Boswell town marshal led to McMahel's discovery inside the vehicle, according to a statement from the Benton County Indiana Sheriff's Department's Facebook page.
Upon arrival at the scene, the officers discovered not only McMahel but also several syringes, both capped and uncapped, along with meth, cocaine, and other drug paraphernalia in her possession. It was reported by FOX59 that following their investigation, police learned McMahel had left four children unattended at her home while she was at the Dollar General.
The Indiana Department of Child Services took custody of the children after being left alone at McMahel's residence. Further searches conducted by the police under a warrant at McMahel's home uncovered additional illicit substances and paraphernalia. These events unfolded as detailed in a news release by the Benton County Sheriff's Office, referenced in WISH-TV's coverage of the incident.
McMahel was booked into the Benton County Jail on multiple charges, including possession of paraphernalia, possession of a syringe or needle, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, and neglect of a dependent. While the bond was reported at $2,000 by WISH-TV.
According to the social media post from the Benton County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Cox commended "the work of the Deputy, the Town Marshal and the concerned citizen," stating, "Meth use in our county is a real problem that is destroying real lives."
