Arnold man charged after three children test positive for cocaine
ARNOLD, PA — A 30-year-old man from Arnold has been charged with three felony counts of endangering the welfare of children after investigators say three children in his care tested positive for cocaine and were found living in hazardous conditions.
Josiah Hughes was arrested Thursday following a months-long investigation by Westmoreland County Detectives, launched in May in coordination with the Children’s Bureau and the Arnold Police Department. The investigation was triggered by a ChildLine report that alleged Hughes had left three young children — ages 5, 3, and 1 — unsupervised inside a residence on Woodmont Avenue.
Case workers from the Children’s Bureau responded and took custody of the children after reportedly finding them living in deplorable conditions. The children were taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital, where toxicology screenings revealed that all three had cocaine in their systems.
Authorities have not disclosed how the children were exposed to the drug. Hughes was arraigned and is expected to appear in court later this month. The case remains active, and additional charges have not been ruled out.
The children have not been publicly identified, and their current condition has not been released. Hughes remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Key Points
- Josiah Hughes, 30, is charged with three felony counts of child endangerment after three children tested positive for cocaine
- The children, ages 5, 3, and 1, were allegedly left unsupervised in a home with hazardous living conditions
- County detectives and child welfare officials launched the investigation in May following a ChildLine report