EVANSVILLE, INDIANA: In a disturbing incident in Evansville, Indiana, a mother discovered her three children unconscious after their babysitter allegedly introduced them to snorting pills at her residence. The babysitter, identified as 24-year-old Deana Nicole Byrd, reportedly "offered" the children, 15, 8, and 9, pills and demonstrated how to snort them using a "rolled up Ramen noodle cup lid."
Jessica Nervig arrived to pick her children up at Byrd's house, according to an arrest affidavit. She noticed Byrd "seemed impaired" on the porch. Worried when she couldn't find her children, Nervig rushed in and found her daughter unconscious on Byrd's bed and her sons unresponsive on the couch. The boys regained consciousness but had trouble moving and appeared confused. When she confronted Byrd and told her that she’d called 911, Byrd allegedly said she "wasn’t going to jail for no kids."
'Byrd showed them how to snort the pills'
Upon regaining consciousness in the hospital, the daughter told the investigating officers that Byrd had provided them with pills, including Adderall, Klonopin, and Lyrica, during the midnight hours of Wednesday, June 28. "She said Byrd showed her how to break open the orange pill capsules and make lines with them to snort. The 15-year-old said Byrd showed them how to snort pills using a rolled-up Ramen noodle cup lid. She said her and her brothers took about 3-4 of each of the three different pills Byrd had given them," the affidavit states.
Daughter remembered vomiting and falling over
The daughter also mentioned that she remembered vomiting at one point and witnessing her brothers experiencing falls after the drugs started affecting them. "The 15-year-old said after the pills took effect, she and her brothers began falling over and could hardly stand up. She said she recalled seeing her brothers falling and that she recalled puking at one point and then coming out of the bathroom and falling again." During an interview with the police, Byrd denied the accusations and claimed that she had been watching TV and engaging in conversation with the children from 8.30 pm on Tuesday night, June 27, until 11 am the next 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.
What is known about Deana Nicole Byrd?
Deana Byrd is a 24-year-old woman who allegedly allowed children in her care to consume pills and taught them how to snort them. Byrd acknowledged the possibility that the 15-year-old had discovered her pills, but clarified that all the controlled substances were prescribed to individuals other than herself.
She is facing charges of three counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, as well as drug possession and theft. Her bail has been set at $20,000, and she has been instructed not to have any contact with the three children.
