Ohio police
posted shocking photos of a couple in the middle of a heroin overdose with
their child in the backseat. Officers in East Liverpool City conducted a
traffic stop on Wednesday after they received a report about a Ford Explorer
with a West Virginia
plate driving erratically and weaving in and out of lanes.
When Officer
Kevin Thompson approached the vehicle, he found the driver, James Acord, in a
bad state and his speech was "almost unintelligible". Thompson also
noticed the passenger, Rhonda Pasek, was completely passed out in the front
seat.
Thompson believed that Acord was trying to explain that he was taking
Pasek to the hospital.
It was then
that the 4-year-old boy was discovered in the backseat of the car, later identified
as Pasek's son. The boy's presence made the department to share the images of
the couple slumped over in the front seat in "order to show the other side
of this horrible drug".
"The city
Police department recently responded to a call of an incapacitated driver,
attached are photos from the scene along with the actual police report. The
city administration works hand in hand with our men in blue to combat this
epidemic and together with the law director we have made the decision to
release the attached.
We feel it
necessary to show the other side of this horrible drug. We feel we need to be a
voice for the children caught up in this horrible mess. This child can't speak
for himself but we are hopeful his story can convince another user to think twice
about injecting this poison while having a child in their custody.
We are well
aware that some may be offended by these images and for that we are truly
sorry, but it is time that the non drug using public sees what we are now
dealing with on a daily basis. The poison known as heroin has taken a strong
grip on many communities not just ours, the difference is we are willing to
fight this problem until it's gone and if that means we offend a few people
along the way we are prepared to deal with that."
The child has
been placed with a family friend. Accord and Pasek are facing criminal charges.
According to
Morning Journal, Accord, 47, pleaded no contest on Thursday to driving under
the influence and endangering children and was sentenced to 180 days in jail
and a fine of $475.
Pasek, 50,
pled not guilty to charges of endangering children and disorderly conduct, as
well as seat belt violation.
Source: City
of East Liverpool/Morning Journal
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