A North Charleston woman is facing charges after police say they found three young children inside her SUV in poor, unsafe conditions, including a 5-month-old boy with a circular wound on his chest that appeared to be a cigarette burn. Ronda Renee White, 35, was arrested Sunday and charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and three counts of unlawful conduct toward a child.
According to the Post and Courier, North Charleston police responded to a home in the 5200 block of Napoleon Drive after a reported domestic disturbance. That response led officers to discover three children inside White's SUV, ages 3 years, 2 years and 5 months, none of whom were in acceptable condition, per the incident report.
Police said the children were wearing only diapers or underwear and had scratches on their bodies and dirty feet, appearing to have gone without baths for some time. The infant was found positioned sideways with his neck bent in an improperly set-up car seat, and officers noted the circular wound on his chest resembling a cigarette burn.
Pills Allegedly Hidden in Belly Button
During the encounter, officers reported finding small pills in a plastic bag tucked into White's belly button. The pills were presumed to be fentanyl after a field test, the incident report states, though the article's account does not say whether a laboratory has since confirmed that identification.
Officers who searched the home described the interior as reeking of urine, according to the incident report. In the children's bedroom, they found a urine-soaked couch cushion placed on the floor and apparently being used as a bed.
Children Taken to Hospital, Custody Status Unclear
The children were taken to a hospital by the South Carolina Department of Social Services following the discovery. Their custody status was unclear, as was whether White was their mother.
White was granted $175,000 surety bail on Monday morning but had not posted it by midday, the report notes. She faces three counts of unlawful conduct toward a child alongside the drug distribution charge. South Carolina's Children's Code makes it unlawful to place a child at unreasonable risk of harm affecting the child's life, physical or mental health, or safety, among other prohibited conduct.
