A Utah mother, who was stopped earlier this week for allegedly driving erratically with one of her children unrestrained in the back seat, has been charged with possessing drugs and alcohol.
According to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, Gabriella Ann McKenzie, 19, was pulled over by a detective in Eagle Mountain on Tuesday just after 6.30pm.
The detective said he saw McKenzie driving her car ‘erratically’ and also ‘a young child unrestrained moving around the back seat of the car’.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office said the detective pulled up next to the car and ‘saw the driver engaged in a video phone call while she was driving’.
According to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, Gabriella Ann McKenzie (pictured), 19, was pulled over by a detective in Eagle Mountain on Tuesday just after 6.30pm. Authorities said one of her kids was unrestrained as she drove erratically
He then pulled her over and while speaking to McKenzie noticed the smell of marijuana in the vehicle.
The sheriff’s office said another deputy arrived to the scene to help.
They then asked McKenzie to get her children, ages 2 and 8 months, out of the car so they could search it.
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‘She argued with them, telling them they could not search her car. As she reached in the back seat to remove her children the Detective and Deputy saw her take something out of a box next to one of the children and conceal it in her waistband,’ the sheriff’s office said in the statement.
The deputy handcuffed McKenzie out of concern that it might be a weapon. That’s when he reportedly saw a brown bag partially concealed in her waistband.
‘This bag contained a small amount of white powder that was later determined to be cocaine. Also found in the car was a small amount of marijuana, a bottle of liquor, and drug paraphernalia,’ authorities said.
McKenzie was able to call her grandparents to come get her children and her car.
McKenzie was booked into jail on multiple charges, including endangerment of a child, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal possession of alcohol and using a handheld device while driving.
Authorities also charged McKenzie with having a suspended driver’s license.
Investigators also said the case is being reported to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services.
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