Detectives with the Collier County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman they found with drugs in a parked pickup truck in Immokalee, while a young boy was in the back seat. Jordyn Demere, 20, was arrested when investigators found heroin in her purse, according to a Sheriff's Office report. She has a record of several prior drug-related arrests.
Robert Huggins, 24, was found passed out behind the wheel of the truck, and was sweating profusely. The child was strapped into a car seat behind Huggins, tapping his arm to try to wake him up. Huggins was rushed to a hospital.
Demere is also charged with child neglect. Detectives said that there was no air conditioning in the truck, and that the child was also sweating profusely. He was placed in the care of the Department of Children and Families.
"Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for folks with addiction to put themselves and other's lives in jeopardy to obtain their drug," said Nancy Dauphinais of the David Lawrence Center, a mental health center which provides substance abuse services.
Dauphinias said that anyone who has a family member with a heroin problem should carry NarCan, a nasal spray that can save the life of someone overdosing on opioids such as heroin.
She said that the David Lawrence Center has a program that offers NarCan for free. For more information, you can call them at 239-455-8500.
