By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-13 21:28:34 | Updated at 2026-08-13 23:22:47
3 hours ago
An autistic six-year-old boy jumped out of a second-story apartment window then tested positive for cocaine, according to police.
The disturbing case of alleged neglect occurred on Monday in Fairmont, a West Virginia city about 90 miles south of Pittsburgh, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Magistrate Court of Marion County, which was obtained by the Daily Mail.
The boy's mother, Stevie Thibodeaux, 30, has been charged with gross neglect of a child creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury, which is a felony.
Police began investigating on Monday after a Marion County Sheriff's Office deputy responded to a report that the child had jumped from the window.
At the apartment building, the deputy observed an open window with its screen on the ground. He interviewed Thibodeaux, who said she was asleep when the six-year-old jumped and explained that the boy is autistic.
The child was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital for evaluation. His current condition is unclear as of Thursday afternoon.
The deputy asked Thibodeaux what steps she takes to ensure her son's safety, given his disability. She showed the officer childproof locks on doors that typically prevent the boy from leaving.
The deputy then left, as it appeared that the situation had been an unfortunate accident.
Stevie Thibodeaux, 30, is facing a child neglect charge after her autistic six-year-old son jumped from her apartment window, then tested positive for cocaine at the hospital
Police searched Thibodeaux's home and said they found a white powder substance and drug paraphernalia. A stock image of cocaine and paraphernalia is pictured
The next day, however, the Marion County Sheriff's Office was informed that the six-year-old had tested positive for cocaine while at the hospital.
The hospital had contacted Child Protective Services, which in turn informed the sheriff's office.
Police used a copy of the test results that showed the boy had ingested cocaine to obtain a search warrant for Thibodeaux's home.
Inside, deputies discovered a white plate with a food stamp card, 'a white powder substance' and a 'tooter,' which is a slang term for a straw used to snort drugs, according to the criminal complaint.
Thibodeaux was not inside the apartment when deputies began the search, but she returned partway through and was arrested on the spot.
The mother was transported to jail, where she allegedly admitted to police that she would use cocaine in the apartment using the white plate found by deputies.
The autistic six-year-old boy jumped from a second-story window in this apartment complex in Fairmont, West Virginia
She said that she left the plate in her closet, where her son presumably was able to access it.
Thibodeaux is being held in the North Central Regional Jail on a $5,000 bond, according to the jail's records. It appears that she has not yet entered a plea.
According to West Virginia law, the mother's charge of gross neglect of a child creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury is punishable by up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
