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Two Charged in Meth Lab; Mother of 3 Charged with Endangerment Save Email Print
Posted: 2:21 AM Jul 17, 2008
 Last Updated: 2:21 AM Jul 17, 2008
 Reporter: Mike Waterhouse
Email Address: mike.waterhouse@wsaz.com
28 comments Map
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ST. ALBANS, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Two people were arrested and charged with making meth near three young children Wednesday night. The kids' mother was charged with child endangerment.

St. Albans Police say an anonymous tip led them to the house at 510 Drew Street at about 10pm.

When they searched the house, officers say they found meth making materials inside, and laboratory equipment in a crawl space underneath the back of the house.

Detectives with the Metro Drug Unit told St. Albans Police that the lab "was possibly getting ready to be active."

The woman who rents the house, 32-year-old Charissa Harvey, lives there with her three children ages 3, 7, and 9, according to police. She told officers that she didn't know her house guests were cooking meth. Police arrested and charged her with three counts of child endangerment. Her kids were turned over to their grandmother who lives next door.

Milton Kenney, 55, and Brandy Stevenson, 34, were both arrested and charged with operating a clandestine drug lab and three counts of child endangerment.

All three were taken to jail and will be arraigned Thursday morning. Police say there may be one more arrest in the case, as that person was not present when they arrived.

"The home will be placarded as a Hazardous Waste site pending an investigation by the city's Building Official's Office," said Lieutenant James Agee in a news release. "The residence will have to be certified as hazard free before anyone can enter."

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Posted by: KD on Jul 18, 2008 at 11:25 PM
St Albans is always on the news for METH looks to me like the state police could clean out the nasty little hole and start over. We had some known drug dealers from our little town that suddenly moved to St Albans Im sure to graduate to making METH. Clean up this little town of horror!!!!As for the mother put her under the jail she's not only a liar but an addict!!! These children deserve better,
Posted by: methhater on Jul 18, 2008 at 04:20 PM
I cannot believe the number of women that I am hearing about getting charged with child endangerment because of someone is cooking meth in their home. You had the daycare meth bust in Nitro around 3 years ago and that woman was a victim. It wasn't her fault that she let her boyfriend cook the stuff at the daycare. It wasn't her fault that the kids that she got paid to protect were exposed to toxic chemicals. Now this woman claims that she didn't know anything about her house guest cooking meth in her home. Give me a break, better yet, give them kids a break. Oh, poor oh innocent victim me. I didn't know, I tried to get him to quit making the stuff but he's an addict you see and we've explored all possible avenues to get him off of the stuff. But it usually takes somebody to hit rock bottom before they get help. Thats all fine and good but, IN THE MEAN TIME ITS YOUR KIDS PAYING THE PRICE. STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND START MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS. Protect your kids not your man.
Posted by: Linda on Jul 18, 2008 at 02:31 PM
Take her kids, lock her up, and throw away the key! She doesn't deserve to have kids if she is going to let them live 24/7 in harm's way. Someone would love to have those kids, and give them a loving and safe home. Shame on any mother who would do somthing like that to innocent children. You should put your kids and their safety over anything else, and you should love them enough to not put yourself in a drug producing/selling situation where they are in danger and not getting proper care.
Posted by: MM on Jul 18, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Thank goodness for the actions of the police, but SHAME on our court system. All these criminals are getting these days are a gentle slap on the wrist. What is there to deture these people from doing wrong? Wake up America, it's time to SHAKE UP THE COURT SYSTEM.
Posted by: unlisted on Jul 18, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Evidently Meth is something that makes you crazy, it causes halucinations and keeps people awake for days I have heard. My Brother was on Meth and in February he killed another Man, his wife and himself while on Meth. Lord knows how long he was on it, and how long he had been going without sleep. It was no secret to his Children or anyone else. This very well may have happened anyway, but Meth just helped it along. Why do people do it?
Posted by: Pat on Jul 18, 2008 at 11:59 AM
In today's Gazette, it announced that Kenney & Stevenson were indicted on previous drug charges through Putnam County
Posted by: Rai on Jul 18, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Tax money well spent??: Meth lab explodes: Fire engines come, Police come--but not before seven guys run off with all the evidence. No arrests. According to police officer this is Second time it has happened in that house. Those same guys come back later that night and collect their stuff and left fast. There will be no peace and safety without a unified effort of the whole community. I teach-- children need to be fostered out to families in another state away from the "dumbing down" influence of the adults in their lives. Why can't "Johnny Read". Selfish, self-centered, unloving, misguided, fearful parents with no backbone to say "no to drugs" or "easy money". Habitat for Humanity has the right idea...you have to work 250 hours and take financial planning classes to get a house. They should do the same with welfare, SSI or any job. Training accountability = self-esteem and hopefully backbone to say "NO TO DRUGS" . Stand up all good parents and take back our children. Report-testify
Posted by: terry on Jul 18, 2008 at 05:36 AM
so what if you put her in prison. the only way she will get better is if, She wants to change, is willing to change and is able to accept and change her life. without those key ingredients, you have the same ole person back. even on a court ordered rehab.
Posted by: amazed on Jul 17, 2008 at 11:42 PM
Kenney just got out of western regional yesterday afternoon and last night he's busted again. maybe he shouldn't have gotten out to begin with?
Posted by: SoFedUp on Jul 17, 2008 at 09:07 PM
Charissa Harvey is already OUT of jail!! The other two are still in there. Why did she get out so soon?? Her Mother next door?? Grandma now has the kids? Whatever! That's what's wrong with our society today! Those kids are just as exposed NOW as they were while in the house during their "meth cooking adventures". The Magistrate that let her out AGAIN should be held accountable.
Posted by: Wv Hillbilly on Jul 17, 2008 at 07:55 PM
TREATMENT!! Get these people some help drug addiction is a sickness period,"lock'm up, put'm in jail"??????? Have any of you who say this thought this through? drugs r bad yes we all know that, but putting a drug head in with murderers and rapists 4 yrs wont help them or society most of these people when they come out r worse than when they went in,TREATMENT treat the cause not the symptom!
Posted by: pam on Jul 17, 2008 at 02:55 PM
this is very sad to hear! how are you going to get into heaven doing those kinds of things??? there are plenty of people out there who would love to have those children. As for the mother, she will have to answer to God one day regardless of what she faces in the court...and that to me would be alot scarier!!! God Bless.
Posted by: paul on Jul 17, 2008 at 02:47 PM
If someone was cooking meth in her house she knew it the neighbors probably could smell it. She's lucky shes not in jail for murder if the house would have blown up or one of the kids got into some of the Junk they use to make the stuff with. There are laws already on the books they just need to be enforced and the court systems needs to do their job and give these people some hard jail time not 30 days and probation. If the prison gets crowded build a bigger one use or tax dollars wisely what ever it takes to get them off the street. If they sell to someone and they OD and die charge them with murder thats what the dealers are doing to our kids today MURDER!!
Posted by: Nadine on Jul 17, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Of course she didn't admit she knew they were cooking meth, but how could you as a mother not know what's going on in your house? How sad... I hope she gets help so she can be a great mother
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 17, 2008 at 11:58 AM
very sad... those children should not have been left with grandma, you can't tell me she didn't know about the meth living next door.ALL I CAN SAY IS WHEN THE COURTS START REALLY DOING SOMETHING TO THE METHYS WE MIGHT SEE A CHANGE. ALL THEY GET IS PLEA BARGAINS & HOME CONFINEMENT. OUR STATE IS GOOD ABOUT MAKING PLEA BARGAINS TO THESE METH HEADS. LOCK UP METH OFFENDERS PLEASE!!!!!!!
Posted by: ddcj on Jul 17, 2008 at 11:53 AM
The mother didn't know her house guests were cooking meth??? Yeah, yeah, I believe you..NOT!
Posted by: Terry on Jul 17, 2008 at 11:24 AM
People like this mother should not have the kids at all. The state needs to take them away from her and put her in jail for a long time.
Posted by: Pat on Jul 17, 2008 at 10:58 AM
Another mother of the year candidate in St. Albans...first the woman who took her kids on a robbery, now this one exposing her kids to a meth lab...what's happening to St. Albans? This city is almost a lost cause. Looks like they hired a new police officer just in time. Hopefully they'll hire more...and soon!!! I fear it may already be too late.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 17, 2008 at 10:06 AM
How do you NOT know that someone is cooking meth in your house? Put them all away!
Posted by: reader on Jul 17, 2008 at 09:17 AM
she will be back to putting those kids in danger by the end of the week? if she did not know they were cooking meth, did she know what they could of done to her kids?
Posted by: Confused on Jul 17, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Why is Brandy Stevenson still on the streets? This is like her third bust on meth in the last two years!
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 17, 2008 at 08:09 AM
how could she not know what they were doing, if any sence at all you can look at someone and tell if they are on meth,i feel so sorry for her kids, they don't need to breath those chemicals, i don't understand how anytink could be more important than your children, i hope they are with someone that can actually take care of them.
Posted by: Debbie on Jul 17, 2008 at 07:56 AM
Lock these crazy people up. I work at a school and let me dtell you, I AM SO SICK OF THESE KIND OF PARENTS NOT CARING FOR THEIR OWN KIDS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. LOCK THEM UP.
Posted by: Pablo on Jul 17, 2008 at 07:03 AM
The mother (and I hate to use that "decent" term on this piece of trash) should be given at least 20 years in prison. By doing so the children will be adults by the time she is out. Its my belief that the children will be better off without her in thier lives as they mature. Her being in prison will mean she will have little time to be of any influence on these children. Like I've said in previous posts, fighting illegal drugs is a war and needs to fought as such. Take no prisoners. All involved should have all assests taken and then given at least 20 years in the pen. When we as citizens decide we are going to get serious about illegal drugs, we will start to see its use and influence decline. Giving these offenders a fine and probation does nothing on the fight against illegal drugs. Contact the governor and your state elected officials and urge them to pass more strict laws concerning illegal drugs. This action may keep your kids and grandkids safe from illegal drugs in the future.
Posted by: anonymous on Jul 17, 2008 at 06:32 AM
Its the same as if someone had a weapon or drugs in the vehicle you're driving, you're still held responsible too. You have to know what is going on around you and not just trust people. If the mother wasn't part of this she will probably be ok in time. Good luck!
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 17, 2008 at 06:17 AM
good thing they removed these kids from this house for the life of me i cant understand it why drugs are taking over so many young people's life as each year go's by it just gets worst and worst it seens like its a cancer just keeps growing
Posted by: Miss M on Jul 17, 2008 at 03:01 AM
What a great mother! I am so glad someone called in reported these people.
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