In a distressing case of child endangerment, a Westmoreland County couple stands accused of bringing their young children along during a drug transaction. Gregory Do Carvallis Jr., 34, and Chelsey L. Palko, 35, were apprehended by police on Route 30 in North Huntingdon. As reported by WPXI, their vehicle, a 1990 Ford Bronco, was initially stopped for a traffic violation, which included failing to properly signal a turn and following the vehicle ahead too closely.
Digging deeper, officers discovered heroin and crack cocaine both in the vehicle and concealed on Palko. The children, a seven-year-old and a toddler, were found in egregious conditions—the older child unrestrained in the backseat and the younger one asleep on the trunk's floor. This discovery inevitably led to charges against the couple for child endangerment. To further complicate the matter, one brick of heroin, two separate stamp bags, and 11 grams of crack cocaine were found, with the drug deal believed to have occurred in North Versailles.
Residents expressed shock and concern over the incident. "That sounds crazy to me," Terry Naylor, a nearby resident, told CBS News Pittsburgh, referencing the unpredictability and inherent dangers of drug deals. During the arrest, officers observed Chelsey Palko attempting to hide something, which she later confessed was a bag of crack cocaine, secreted in a body cavity. "Yeah, that's shocking, desperation, I suppose," Obrien also reflected on the circumstances that may drive a parent to involve their children in such perilous situations. The children have since been placed in the custody of a family member.
