Saturday afternoon, police in Hope were called to the parking lot of the Dollar General store. They found Erica Hurt, 25, passed out behind the wheel of her parked car. She was still holding a syringe in her left hand. Hurt’s infant son was strapped in his car seat in the back, crying.
Police administered two doses of Narcan to the unconscious woman. After the second dose, Hurt regained consciousness. The young woman was taken to Columbus Regional Hospital where she was treated and released. Hurt was then taken into custody by police.
Hurt has been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, breach of probation and child neglect.
Marshal Matthew Tallent told the Indianapolis Star the incident is the face of the drug epidemic that is sweeping Indiana and the country. Tallent said it is becoming the norm for parents to use drugs in a car with their children present rather than in places where adults might see them and disapprove.
The unconscious Hurt was filmed by the bodycam worn by the officer who first approached the vehicle. Tallent decided to release pictures of the woman who was passed out while still holding a syringe in her hand. The marshal added he did not release Hurt’s picture to shame her although she will undoubtedly be embarrassed. He released the photographs to educate people about what this drug is doing.
This is not the first time such pictures have been released. Last week, an Ohio couple were passed out in their car from an apparent overdose. And two women were filmed by people on the street after they allegedly overdosed on heroin. Last month, police found a car that had pulled over on the side of the road. The driver was semi-conscious while a woman was passed out in the passenger street. The woman’s four-year-old grandson was in the back seat. It was also alleged the car almost collided with a school bus.
Hurt’s mother was not pleased about the release of the pictures. Jami Smith said although police should have kept them for evidence, no one else should have seen the pictures. She said her daughter just made a mistake even though she does not condone what she did. Smith also said her daughter had been clean for two years and had just gotten out of rehab.
Social services took the 10-month-old and gave custody to Smith. Hurt remains in custody.
