5-year-old found wandering in street holding meth pipe, mother arrested

HAMLIN, W.Va. (WOWK) – A West Virginia woman faces multiple charges after police say they found her daughter wandering in the middle of the street without shoes, socks or pants and carrying a meth pipe. 

Christina Wade is charged with child abuse creating risk of injury and child neglect resulting in injury. 

West Virginia State Police say the five-year-old girl was found in the street on Holley Avenue in Hamlin, West Virginia on Monday holding a piece of broken glass that police say they later discovered was a meth pipe. 

According to a criminal complaint, an officer found the girl’s home nearby and went inside to find her mother. Police say they found Wade passed out in bed with uncapped needles and a meth pipe nearby.

Police say after several attempts they were able to wake Wade up and that she admitted to taking meth the day before.  Police said that Wade says her mother was supposed to be watching the child at the time. 

Police say the child told the officer on scene she was hungry and wanted some clothes. That officer said they could not find food or any clothing in the home for the girl and they also discovered flea bites and lice in her hair.