Porterville parents arrested after one-year-old ingests meth

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Early Tuesday morning, Porterville Police were called to Sierra View Medical Center for a report of a one-year-old boy being treated after ingesting methamphetamine.

Officers then located the boys' parents at a home in Porterville.

Police say 33-year-old Joel Vasquez and 25-year-old Amanda Gagnon were high when they were arrested.

"My understanding is the parents had the option to take the child to be treated and chose not to," said Porterville Police Sgt. Rick Carillo.

Carillo says a family member prevented a traumatic situation by stepping in and driving the child to the hospital.

It's not known how much meth the child consumed.

"Fortunately family members identified a problem and intervened and quite possibly saved the lives of these children," Carillo said.

Police found out Vasquez and Gagnon were living in a tent with the one-year-old and another two-year-old child on the property they originally responded to.

Police say both children are now doing ok.

"Both of them were seen and treated at the hospital, before being turned over to Child Welfare Services," Carillo said.

According to Tulare County Superior Courts' Criminal Division, Vasquez has seven misdemeanors in Tulare County, including several drug offenses.

Gagnon has a couple of felonies on her record, including theft and drug possession.

Both suspects are being held on $100,000 bail.