A 5-year-old boy has tested positive for cocaine after police in Southern California found him in his father's car sitting next to 200 grams of the drug.
Marco Cuevas, father of the child, was arrested Thursday at a gas station in Ventura County. According to the officials, the investigation into drug sales in Ventura County began after the Ventura County Sheriff's Office noticed an increase in cocaine use and sales in the area in July and August.
Their investigation led them to 31-year-old Cuevas, who allegedly sold drugs to teenagers and young adults in the area. He also sold guns, according to a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, reports NBC Los Angeles.
Cuevas and the child's mother Sandy Cuevas were stopped by police on Friday in Moorpark, southern California. They found the drugs and $10,000 of suspected drug money. The child was taken for a medical examination and the results came positive for cocaine, though he did not require medical attention.
Neighbors said that the couple have three children and are pregnant with their fourth.
All three children were taken into protective custody following a house search that revealed various prescription-drug pills, several pounds of marijuana and a further $75,000 in cash, plus 16 guns and 3,000 rounds of ammunition, according to the authorities
The couple was charged with conspiracy to sell cocaine, possession of cocaine for sale, and child endangerment.
