Two people in Bladen County have now been charged under a new law that makes it a felony to expose children to illegal drugs.
In one case, four or five children in a home tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine.
Bradley Senecal, 53, of 7645 U.S. 701 N., Elizabethtown, was arrested Dec. 31 for the attempted murder of Letina Deal, according to warrants. The incident occurred during a domestic dispute, Sheriff Jim McVicker said in a press release.
At the time of the domestic, five children between five and twelve years old were in the home. Investigators requested forensic interviews of the children.
Specialists with Carolyn’s Kaleidoscope Child Advocacy Center worked with the children.
“During these interviews it was disclosed that there was substance abuse in the home while the children were present,” the BCSO said in a press release. “This led investigators to obtain hair follicles testing done by a licensed medical provider.”
Tests results returned positive exposure for four of the five children for multiple drugs to include cocaine and methamphetamine. Senecal was then charged with four additional counts of exposing a child to ilegal drugs. His bond remains at $200,000.
As part of a continuing investigation, Shiana Di’Julia Roden, 39, of 104 Willis St., Elizabethtown, was charged with four counts each of exposing a child to illegal drugs and child abuse. Her bond was set at $60,000.
The new law for exposing a child to a controlled substance which took effect in December. It is now a felony for anyone to knowingly expose a child under the age of 16 years old to a controlled substance.
This will be the first case that Bladen County Sheriff’s Office Investigators have used this charge, McVicker said. This new statute aims to strengthen protection for children and hold adults accountable for unsafe environments involving illegal drugs, allowing the charging officer to focus on the child’s exposure to illegal drugs and not only the physical abuse.
McVicker thanked Carolyn’s Kaleidoscope Child Advocacy Center and Bladen County Dept. of Social Services for their assistance.
