ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida man was arrested on Wednesday after his 3-year-old daughter tested positive for cocaine after visiting him in December, authorities said.
Jaylin Lamar Benniefield, 38, of St. Petersburg, was charged with one count of child neglect, according to Pinellas County Sheriff’s online booking records.
According to an arrest report from the St. Petersburg Police Department, the girl allegedly ingested cocaine while visiting Benniefield on Dec. 13, 2022, WFLA-TV reported.
The child’s mother told police that when she took her daughter home, she was experiencing a stomachache and cold sweats, according to the television station. The girl’s hands were also shaking, and her mother said the child was more hyperactive and talkative than usual.
The girl was taken to an area hospital, where she tested positive for cocaine, police said. She was not seriously harmed after ingesting the drug, WFLA reported.
Police said that Benniefield told them that he was the only person home at the time and that his daughter was fully under his care, according to the television station.
Benniefield was arrested and booked into Pinellas County Jail. He posted $5,000 bail several hours after his arrest, according to Pinellas County online court records.
