Two Acadia Parish mothers are behind bars this week after deputies say they supplied their own children with methamphetamine and other illegal drugs. The women, identified as 32-year-old Monesha Mouton of Crowley and 36-year-old Brooke Labouve of Jennings, are being held at the Acadia Parish Jail on cruelty-to-juvenile charges while investigators and child-welfare officials sort through the details. Authorities say the cases are unrelated, but both involve minors who tested positive for controlled substances.
According to KADN News 15, deputies allege Mouton gave her three children methamphetamine and cocaine. She was booked on three counts of cruelty to a juvenile. Labouve, arrested in a separate investigation, faces one count of cruelty to a juvenile after deputies said she provided her child with methamphetamine and marijuana, the station reports.
Investigation And Booking Details
Booking records and local coverage indicate Mouton was taken into custody last Thursday and is being held on a $60,000 bond. Labouve was arrested on Friday and is being held on a $50,000 bond, according to KATC. The Department of Children and Family Services assisted in both investigations, the outlet reports.
What The Law Says And Why It Matters
Under Louisiana law, "cruelty to juveniles" covers intentional or criminally negligent mistreatment of a child or exposing a child to harm. The statute carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison, and up to 20 years if the victim is eight years old or younger, according to La. R.S. 14:93.
National research has found that pediatric drug exposures have climbed in recent years. A 2024 study in JAMA Network Open reported that encounters where children tested positive for illicit drugs increased after the pandemic, and that fewer than half of positive screens led to reports to child-protection services, highlighting gaps in response and follow-up.
The Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office maintains a public website with contact information for tips and inquiries. Anyone with information related to these cases can reach the agency through its website, per the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office.
