A Gastonia, N.C., woman was arrested Friday evening after she was found “engaging in sexual activities” in a car with her husband’s friend while her three children slept in the back seat, according to a York County Sheriff’s Office report.
Betsy Jane Poarch, 25, and a man identified as Steven Hicks of Clover were found in a white 2010 Nissan Altima, parked in front of the man’s house on Bobby Ray Road, the report said.
Police were dispatched to a call about a suspicious vehicle at about 4:30 p.m., the report says.
They found Poarch and Hicks partially unclothed in the car with three children – two boys and a girl – asleep in the back seat, the report says.
Hicks told police they were just there to “make out,” the report says.
Deputies also found needles in the back seat of the car, the report says. One needle was underneath one of the children’s feet, and another needle was on the floorboard, the report says.
The children were “dirty, wearing dirty clothes, had dirt and old food all over their faces,” the report says. One of the children wasn’t wearing shoes or socks, and was crying because he was cold, the report says.
Deputies found clothing to cover the children and turned on the heat in the car, the report says.
Deputies also found marijuana in both the man’s car and in Poarch’s car, the report says. The man had about 2 grams of marijuana and Poarch had about 3 grams of marijuana in her purse, the report said. She also had 1 gram of a “crystal-like substance that appeared to be methamphetamine,” the report says.
Deputies called the S.C. Department of Social Services to pick up the kids, the report says. By this point, deputies said one of the kids was “crying hysterically,” the report said.
Deputies let Poarch comfort the child, but when DSS arrived, Poarch began to resist arrest, the report says. Deputies had to place two pairs of handcuffs on her before they were able to successfully cuff her, the report says.
Poarch fell to the ground in an effort to stay out of the patrol car, the report says. Police were able to get Poarch in the patrol car, and she started assaulting Hicks, the report says. Deputies had to transport the two separately to jail.
Poarch has been charged with resisting arrest, three counts of unlawful neglect of a child, possession of methamphetamine, third-degree assault and battery and possession of marijuana. Hicks was charged with possession of marijuana.
Hannah Smoot: 803-329-4068
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