Full Notification

(Etowah County, Alabama) A Gadsden woman has been arrested in connection to chemical endangerment of a child, according to Sheriff Todd Entrekin.

“Derrica Ann Bruce, 22, of Gadsden, was arrested and is charged with one count of chemical endangerment of a child, a felony and endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, both are misdemeanors,” investigator Brandi Fuller said.

A 9-1-1 call was received about a 3 year-old child wandering alone on a street in the Coates Bend community. When deputies arrived on scene, they spent more than an hour searching for the guardian of the child.

After finding the correct residence several unsuccessful attempts were made to get someone to the door. Deputies then made entrance into the residence when they saw Bruce, through a window, lying in a chair.

Bruce, who is pregnant, appeared to be passed out in the chair and was startled when the deputies entered the residence. She stated to deputies that she had smoked an illegal substance.

Bruce is detained in the Etowah County Detention Center on $10,000 cash bond for the chemical endangerment warrant and an additional $2,000 bond for the other charges. As a condition of her bond, she must successfully complete a drug treatment program and will be supervised by Etowah Community Corrections upon release.

The Etowah County Department of Human Resources is involved in the case.

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