Five arrested after meth lab found in car with 19-month-old child

Three Corbin residents are among five people facing child endangerment charges after Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputies found a meth lab in their car along with a 19-month-old child Friday morning.

Amy M. Steele, 32, Everett Conner, 28 and Rachel M. Hatcher, 18, all of Corbin, along with Megan L. Patterson, 23 and Timothy J. Prewitt, 46, both of Gray, were arrested on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine and controlled substance endangerment to a child.

According to Public Affairs Officer Gilbert Acciardo, deputies began searching for a 2003 blue Kia Spectra about 1 a.m. following a complaint from employees of the Pilot Truck Stop of a shoplifting incident. Deputy Chuck Johnson stopped the vehicle on U.S. 25E within minutes of dispatchers broadcasting news of the incident.

"Deputy Johnson was relatively close by and grabbed them," Acciardo said.

Johnson reportedly found a one step meth lab in the front floorboard of the vehicle. In addition, Johnson found lithium batteries the Pilot employees reported were shoplifted from the store.

In addition to the meth and child endangerment charges, Patterson has been charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and Hatcher, whom Acciardo said was driving, was charged with license to be in possession and failure to produce an insurance card. The child was placed in the custody of social workers.

The suspects have been lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center. Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Daryl Zanet, Kentucky State Police Sgt. Steve Walker, Laurel County Constable Denver Mays and Laurel County Dept. of Public Safety Officer Albert Hale assisted at the scene.