Homepage / Phoenix News
E-Mail News Alerts
Get breaking news and daily headlines.
Browse all e-mail newsletters
Related To Story
Matthew Scaggs and Sylvia Stocking
Matthew Scaggs and Sylvia Stocking


| More


Child Eats Pot; Parents Arrested

POSTED: 6:15 am MST August 4, 2008
UPDATED: 12:58 pm MST August 4, 2008

A 2-year-old El Mirage girl was placed in state custody after authorities said she ate marijuana and lived in filthy conditions.

El Mirage Assistant Police Chief Bill Louis said the child's parents -- Sylvia Stocking, 22, and Matthew Skaggs, 24 -- were taken into custody and booked on suspicion of child abuse.

On Thursday, police responded to a hospital for a call that a child was "non-communicative and lethargic," Louis said.

Medical tests showed the girl had ingested an unknown quantity of marijuana, but the child's parents denied it, police reports said.

Detectives went to the couple's home and found what was described in police reports as a "disgusting and unhealthy" living situation, Louis said.

Police reported finding marijuana and drug paraphernalia around the house and in the bedroom where the child sleeps.

Additionally, officers said they found marijuana in the closet of the family's roommate.

When confronted with the marijuana, pipes, small plastic bags and other paraphernalia found around the house, Stocking admitted that it was possible her daughter could have eaten some of the marijuana, police said.

In the police report, officers said Skaggs, on the other hand, told police that it was "none of [their] business how his 2-year-old daughter ingested the marijuana."

Skaggs and Stocking were charged with child abuse, endangerment, marijuana possession and use and drug paraphernalia possession and use.

Links We Like
Sponsored Content
Don’t ruin your chances of landing that new job by making easy to correct mistakes on your cover letter. More

Don’t believe everything people tell you about home improvement. Check out the top 4 myths and stop throwing away your money. More

The signs of Cancer can sometimes be very subtle. Here's a guide to help you recognize them early. More

Living well with type-1 or type-2 diabetes can be easier than you might think. Use our diabetes resource guide. More

Sponsored Links

Shop Your Insurance

SAVE up to 30% on Insurance
Paying too much for insurance? Get quotes from multiple companies and choose the best plan for you. Start saving now!

Insurance Type:


Zip Code: