Greenbrier County woman charged after allegedly passing out in running vehicle with child inside

GREENBRIER COUNTY, WV (VR) – A Greenbrier County woman faces drug possession and child neglect charges after authorities allegedly found her repeatedly falling asleep inside a running vehicle while her young son was in the back seat, according to a criminal complaint.

Cpl. K.L. Helmick of the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department responded Aug. 5 to a report of a woman who was passed out and breathing heavily inside a vehicle. According to the complaint, someone knocked on the window but could not wake her. The caller also reported that the woman had made two trips to a bathroom, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. Emergency medical personnel arrived and notified dispatch that a child was also inside the vehicle.

The woman, identified as Laura Armstrong, allegedly fell asleep again while waiting for the deputy to arrive. Helmick reported finding Armstrong in the driver’s seat holding a torch-style lighter. After Armstrong consented to a search of the vehicle, the deputy allegedly discovered a glass straw with black marks on one end, another torch-style lighter, a glass bowl, and a case containing the remains of a leafy substance. During a subsequent search of Armstrong’s wallet, the deputy reported finding a plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance, another bag containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, a glass pipe, aluminum foil, a straw-like object and a container for a THC preroll.

Armstrong allegedly told the deputy that the crystal-like substance was methamphetamine and said she had used meth the previous night. The complaint states that her son was lying partially on the back seat and partially on the vehicle’s floor when the deputy arrived and was not secured in a car seat. The vehicle reportedly remained running throughout the investigation.

Helmick wrote that the child was placed at risk because of the suspected controlled substances, the running vehicle and Armstrong’s condition. According to the complaint, Armstrong continued to fall asleep multiple times while being processed. She was arrested on two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of child neglect creating a risk of serious bodily injury.

The allegations remain pending in court, and Armstrong is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.