Three adults were charged this weekend with drug and child abuse offenses, according to information from a posting on the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
According to the post, investigators were called to a home in the south end of the county this weekend because someone reported small children who were not wearing clothing wandering near a road.
This person tried to speak to the children’s guardians and found them passed out in the house. Marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found in the house, according to the post.
Four children, ages 4-10, were found at the house. The Department of Children’s Services was notified of the situation.
Three adults in the house were each charged with four counts of child abuse and neglect, possession of schedule VI drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the post.
Those arrested were Gordon L. Lyons, 56, Tammy G. Lyons 53, both of 114 Viss Honeycutt Road, Erwin, and Jill I. Wheeler, 1152 Riddle Road, Erwin. All three of the arrested were charged with four counts of child neglect and one count of aggravated child neglect, as Unicoi County Sheriff Mike Hensley said one of the children was a special needs child. Both Gordon Lyons and Tammy Lyons were also charged with possession of schedule VI drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. Wheeler was also charged with possession of schedule VI drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the post, officers bought the children food because they said they had not eaten in a while and were hungry.
The investigation was continuing.
A Johnson City Press reporter is gathering more information for this story, including the names of those charged.
Keep checking JohnsonCityPress.com for more information.