Police: Children test positive for cocaine after being discovered home alone in Pittsburgh
By Raquel Ciampi
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PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — A man has been charged after authorities say cocaine was discovered to have been in the system of two children.
Authorities say their investigation began after the 5-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl were found alone at a home on Mayville Avenue in Pittsburgh by a Children, Youth and Families caseworker.
According to a criminal complaint, the caseworker contacted Jason Mallery, the children’s father, who said he left to go to the store with his girlfriend Tara Resch.
The caseworker stayed with the children for an hour, waiting for Mallery’s return before taking emergency custody of both the boy and girl.
Both children were given a standard physical, which is where authorities say it was discovered they tested positive for cocaine metabolite.
Following the discovery, authorities executed a search warrant at Mallery’s home. Inside, officials say they found numerous pieces of narcotics evidence. That evidence was either seized or documented by detectives.
Mallery was taken into custody and read his rights. He allegedly told police he believed his children were taken away because he went to the grocery store too long.
He also told authorities he had just got out of rehab at the end of January and had been living in the Mayville Avenue home since. Prior to that, his girlfriend had been living with the children.
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