Mother discovers her three children unconscious after babysitter lesson on snorting pills

One of the children said the babysitter showed them how to snort lines using a ‘rolled up Ramen noodle cup lid’

Deana Byrd. (Vanderburgh County Jail)

A mother found her three children unconscious after their babysitter allegedly taught them how to snort pills at her house in Evansville, Indiana.

On Wednesday, it was reported that 24-year-old Deana Byrd “offered” the children – aged 15, eight, and nine – pills and showed them how to snort lines using a “rolled up Ramen noodle cup lid”.

According to a probable cause affidavit, which lists the charges against the babysitter, Jessica Nervig arrived at Ms Byrd’s house around 5pm to pick her children up. She told police that Byrd was sitting on the porch, “seeming impaired”.

Ms Nervig said she became “nervous because she didn’t hear her kids inside” and rushed into the house to find them. She discovered her 15-year-old daughter was unconscious on Ms Byrd’s bed, while her sons were unresponsive on the couch.

Although they regained consciousness shortly after, Ms Nervig noted the boys “could barely stand and were falling all over the place”.

When her daughter awoke in hospital, she told investigating officers Ms Byrd had “offered them” pills such as Adderall, Klonopin, and Lyrics at around midnight on Wednesday.

“She said Byrd showed her how to break open the orange pill capsules and make lines with them to snort,” the affidavit read. “The 15-year-old said Byrd showed them how to snort the pills using a rolled up Ramen noodle cup lid.”

She also said she recalled puking at one point as well as seeing her brothers falling, after the drugs took effect.

Ms Byrd denied the allegations during an interview with police officers, and said she was watching TV and talking to the children from 8.30pm on Tuesday night until 11am the following morning.

“Byrd said the eight-year-old, who she calls ‘a**hole’, woke up a couple of times to talk to her,” according to the affidavit.

She admitted it was possible the 15-year-old had found her pills. All the controlled substances had been prescribed to people other than Ms Byrd.

She has been charged with three counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, drug possession, and theft.

Her bail is set at $20,000 and she has reportedly been ordered not to contact the three children.