Ephrata couple face county court after child exposed to cocaine suffers seizure
Ephrata, PA – A medical emergency involving a 7-year-old boy has now advanced into county court, with prosecutors alleging the child was exposed to cocaine inside his own home, triggering a seizure and a criminal case against both parents.
A judge ruled in January that charges against Angelo Louie Patrick, 31, should proceed to the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. Patrick is charged with endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person. On the same day, Elizabeth Amanda Nolan, 30, waived her preliminary hearing on identical charges, allowing her case to also move forward.
The charges stem from an incident on the morning of November 19, when the child was found unresponsive inside the couple’s residence in the 500 block of East Main Street. After attempts to wake him failed, the boy was taken to a nearby hospital, where testing revealed cocaine in his system. Investigators said the child had suffered a seizure.
Authorities later determined Nolan also tested positive for cocaine during a drug screening conducted hours after the incident. She denied using the drug and was unable to explain the results, according to court records.
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In interviews with investigators, the child reported that Patrick and other family members had previously used drugs in front of him, describing the substance as white stuff. The boy also told investigators that Patrick instructed him to answer questions carefully so the couple would not get in trouble if bad things in the home were mentioned.
Another family member told police cocaine had been used during a gathering at the residence days earlier and that residue was left on a chess board that was never cleaned.
Both Patrick and Nolan remain free on $20,000 unsecured bail. Ephrata Borough Police Officer Cody Newswanger filed the charges. Assistant District Attorney Callista Chartier is prosecuting the case. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Key Points
- A 7-year-old boy suffered a seizure after cocaine exposure inside his home
- Both parents now face child endangerment-related charges in county court
- The couple remain free on unsecured bail as the case proceeds
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