Authorities charged a Salisbury pair after the a man and woman were spotted inside the hospital parking deck using heroin in a van with children inside.
Salisbury Police charged Laurence Joseph Hicks, 30, of the 2000 block of Old Mocksville Road, Salisbury, with felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor child abuse, and misdemeanor driving while license revoked.
Stephanie Michelle Hicks, 27, of the 400 block of Alan Circle, Salisbury, with misdemeanor simple possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor simple possession of a controlled substance, felony possession a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and misdemeanor child abuse.
Someone called police just before 3 a.m. to say they saw a man “shooting up” inside a van parked in the Novant Health Rowan Medical Center parking deck.
When an officer arrived to the area, he spotted the van at the corner of Henderson Street and Annadale Avenue. There were three small children inside the van. The ages of the children was unclear in a department report.
The officer spoke with the driver, Laurence Hicks, who admitted to taking drugs while in the van. He told the officer his license was suspended.
The officer found a substance believed to be black tar heroin inside a bag under the passenger’s seat of the van where police say Stephanie Hicks was sitting.
She also admitted to taking the heroin. The officer noted in his report Stephanie Hicks had puncture marks on her arm.
She also had five syringes inside her purse and one Klonopin, a medication used to treat anxiety, inside her wallet.
Rowan County Social Services was contacted, a report said.
It is not clear the relationship between Stephanie Hicks and Laurence Hicks nor is it clear if the children belonged to either of them.
Laurence Hicks remains in the county jail under $25,000 secured bond. Stephanie Hicks has since been released.