Lake Charles, LA – On July 22 the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call requesting a welfare check be conducted at a home on Goodman Road in Lake Charles.  The complainant advised that the parents of a 2-month-old baby girl were possibly smoking illegal narcotics inside the home with the baby present.

When deputies arrived they observed the home to be unclean with no running water, food, or formula.  The deputies observed roaches and flies inside the home.  The infant was dirty and was wearing a soiled diaper and had such a severe case of diaper rash that the diaper had to be removed by emergency medical personnel.  Deputies observed her to have sores on her body and appeared to malnourished.  When deputies spoke to the parents, Crystal J. Roberts, 37, and Herbert J. Thibodeaux, Jr., 34, along with the grandmother, Anthonette K. Thibodeaux, 58, all of Lake Charles, they admitted to smoking synthetic marijuana in front of the child.  During a subsequent search of the home deputies located illegal narcotics.

All three were arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center.  Roberts and H. Thibodeaux were charged with 2nd-degree cruelty to a juvenile; illegal use of a CDS in the presence of a juvenile; illegal possession of drug paraphernalia; and illegal possession of synthetic marijuana.  Judge Robert Wyatt set Roberts’ bond at $16,000 and H. Thibodeaux’s bond at $8,500.   A. Thibodeaux was charged with illegal use of a CDS in the presence of a juvenile; illegal possession of drug paraphernalia; and illegal possession of synthetic marijuana.  Judge Robert Wyatt set her bond at $6,000.

The infant was taken to a local hospital for treatment and was put in the custody of the Department of Child & Family Services.

CPSO Deputy Chelsey Gault was the arresting officer on this case and CPSO Detectives Shelley Trahan and Ben Hare are the lead investigators on this case.