Couple Arrested After Toddler Allegedly Hands Police Bag of Marijuana During Routine Stop

The New York State Police (NYSP) stopped a vehicle in the Albany County town of New Scotland last week where a three-year-old toddler handed one trooper a pouch containing marijuana while the driver of the vehicle was questioned by law enforcement. According to the state police, both adults in the car were arrested, charged, released, and currently awaiting a court date.

After pulling the car over, a State Trooper spotted marijuana remnants in the vehicle’s ashtray. He then interviewed Hill outside of the vehicle, while another trooper checked on a three-year-old girl who was purported to be restrained improperly in the back seat. During this time the state police allege that the toddler pulled a zippered pouch out from underneath the front seat, opened it, and showed it to the trooper. The contents of the bag were allegedly a bag of marijuana, a grinder, and a pipe both containing the illegal substance. 

The driver, 26-year-old Scott Hill and passenger, 33-year-old Megan Karl were arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Hill received an additional charge of unlawful possession of marijuana. The allegedly encountered contraband was swiftly secured as evidence. The three-year-old girl, meanwhile, was handed over to relatives while Albany County Child Protective Services was informed of the incident and its subsequent charges.

Hill and Karl were arraigned in New Scotland’s Town Court, with the former released under Albany County Probation supervision and the latter released on her own recognizance. Both are scheduled to return to court at an unspecified date.

The Drive tried to contact the NYSP to confirm how or if the toddler was related to the driver or passenger of the vehicle but we were unable to reach them. Smoking marijuana in New York state and driving under its influence is illegal. The substance is, however, legal for recreational use in nine states, and medicinally legal and available in 30 states, according to Business Insider.

UPDATE 9/11/2018 5.40pm ET: The NYSP has confirmed that Megan Karl is the toddler's mother.