Woman allegedly left 4 children in SUV while at ‘active drug house’

CAMDEN ON GAULEY, W.Va. (WBOY) — A woman who was allegedly “at an active drug house” in Webster County while four young children were in her custody was charged after troopers found drugs in a car seat with an infant.

On Aug. 19, troopers with the Webster County detachment of the West Virginia State Police were dispatched to a residence on Bay Drive in Camden on Gauley for a welfare check, according to a criminal complaint. A caller had requested law enforcement to check on Cynidel Hardin, 27, of Cowen, who was “an avid drug user” and “parked at an active drug house for most of the day” while she had four children under the age of five in her care, troopers said.

Troopers noted that Hardin “did have possession of all four children for the entire day” and she was “presumed to be driving under the influence of heroin” while the children were in her vehicle, according to the complaint.

When troopers arrived at the house, they saw an SUV in the driveway “with the ignition on” and four children “alone in the vehicle with no adult present.” Troopers said “two of the children were screaming and crying due to not knowing where” Hardin was, and one was “holding an open pocket knife,” troopers said.

While troopers were on scene, Hardin came out of the residence, and when a family member came to take custody of the children in the vehicle, troopers saw a small “zip bag” in a car seat with an infant child that contained “drug paraphernalia and a small piece of aluminum foil” with suspected heroin, according to the complaint.

Hardin has been charged with four counts of child neglect causing risk of injury. She is being held in Central Regional Jail.

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