Eureka Police arrested a 33-year-old St. Louis man and 41-year-old House Springs woman for alleged drug possession at Walmart. Officers were called to the store, 131 Eureka Towne Center, because of how the man was treating a child, police reported.
Officers were called at about 5:20 p.m. Feb. 13 when an employee reported seeing the man allegedly almost hit a child. Other customers had told employees about the man appearing to mistreat the child, the report said.
When officers arrived, the man was alone, but he said he was shopping with a friend and her daughter. The man was allegedly acting strangely and repeatedly said he was thirsty, according to the report.
While officers were speaking with the man, the woman and the girl approached them. The woman said she was with the man, and the girl was seated in a shopping cart, the report said.
The woman was allowed to complete her shopping, but when she attempted to pay for the items, she was unable to pay, according to the report.
The woman said she needed to transfer funds to her bank card, and an officer escorted her to a pickup parked outside the store. Officers learned the man and woman were no longer allowed in Walmart locations due to being suspected of stealing items from stores in Arnold and Manchester, according to the report.
After escorting the woman and man to a 2016 Dodge Ram, an officer allegedly saw a syringe in the pickup. The officer searched the Ram and allegedly found substances believed to be methamphetamine and fentanyl along with loose pills in the pickup, the report said.
The man and woman were arrested. An officer also found two pills and a crystal-like substance in the man’s pants’ pocket, according to the report.
The man and woman were taken to the Police Station, where they were booked and released pending the application for a warrant. Eureka Police also called the Department of Family Services, and the girls was released to a relative, the report said.
While being booked, the man allegedly admitted to using fentanyl but said he preferred to use speed. He said fentanyl helped him forget about everything, and he overdosed approximately 25 times in the past, according to the report.
Depending on results of the drug analysis, Eureka Police will seek charges against the man and woman through the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for possession of a controlled substance, trespassing, first-degree child endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia, Capt. Michael Werges said.