A Camp Tahkodah Road couple has been charged in Independence County Circuit Court with two counts each of first-degree endangering the welfare of two minor children.
The charges go back to December of 2017 when a home visit was made to the couple’s residence on Camp Tahkodah Road by a family service worker for the Independence County Division of Children and Family Services, according to court records.
The Dec. 7 visit was initiated by a report generated by the Child Abuse hotline alleging environmental neglect against Charles Ross, 40, and Brook Goodman, 27. The couple has two minor children.
The worker noted the house was piled with dirty clothes and dirty dishes. During the visit, Ross was administered a urine drug screen which showed positive for meth, other amphetamines, opiates and THC (marijuana). Brook Goodman was not at home on that date, noted court records.
The next day, Dec. 8, both children were removed from the physical and legal custody of the couple, according to court documents. On Dec. 12, Brook Goodman was located and administered a urine drug screen which showed positive for meth, other amphetamines, drugs, opiates, and THC. Both juvenile female children were administered a hair follicle test on Dec. 22 which tested positive for amphetamines, meth, and THC.
Both Ross and Goodman were questioned by Detective Shay Moore of the Independence County Sheriff’s Department on Jan. 22. The court documents said Goodman told Moore that both she and Charles occasionally used meth and THC inside their residence, but only while the children were at school.
Goodman said she kept her house clean, and she had no idea how the children could have come into contact with meth or THC. Ross also said they never used meth or THC when the children were present. Both said the children could have come into contact with both drugs in his nephew’s room.
Both Ross and Goodman are in custody, and each charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree. Goodman is also being charged as a habitual offender. Each has been placed on a $10,000 bond.
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