Chrishell Burns
PADUCAH — A man and woman wanted on child abuse charges after police say their 2-year-old daughter tested positive for cocaine have been arrested in Paducah, police say.
The Paducah Police Department says 27-year-old Chrishell Burns and 27-year-old Jakyron Burnside were charged with second-degree criminal abuse of a child younger than 12 after their daughter was hospitalized on March 19. Police allege that the couple brought the toddler to a local emergency room. There, investigators say the child tested positive for cocaine before later being flown to an out-of-state hospital for further treatment.
Now, the police department says additional toxicology tests found the girl had methamphetamine, oxycodone, marijuana and fentanyl in her system as well.
The police department says investigators had the couple's three other children tested for illegal drugs as well. The tests found that the couple's 3-year-old son had cocaine and marijuana in his system, police claim, and their 2-month-old daughter had cocaine, marijuana and fentanyl in her system. Test results are pending for the couple's fourth child, police say. All four children have been removed from the couple's home by social services representatives, police say.
Jakyron Burnside
Burns turned herself in at the McCracken County Jail last Friday, police say. Burnside was arrested Wednesday when investigators with the Paducah Police Department and the McCracken County Sheriff's Department's Drug Unit served a search warrant at a home on Clinton Road. Paducah drug detectives had previously purchased fentanyl from Burnside at that home, the police department claims.
Burns is charged with three counts of second-degree criminal abuse of a child age 12 or younger and first-degree possession of cocaine and methamphetamine.
Burnside is charged with three counts of second-degree criminal abuse of a child age 12 or younger, first-degree possession of cocaine on the second offense, first-degree possession of methamphetamine and trafficking in carfentanil or fentanyl derivatives.
Burnside also faces probation violation charges in Graves County and a failure to appear charge in McCracken County.
The Paducah Police Department says its investigation is ongoing and more charges are likely to be filed.
