PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (EYT) – A Punxsutawney couple are facing Child Endangerment charges after a juvenile reported their drug use to authorities.
Court documents indicate the Punxsutawney Borough Police filed criminal charges against 35-year-old Christopher C. Lowmaster, and 31-year-old Brittney K. Lowmaster, both of Punxsutawney.
Punxsy Officers Dispatched to Sycamore Street on February 25
According to a criminal complaint, on Sunday, February 25, Officers Winfield and Andrekovich, of the Punxsutawney Borough Police Department, had been called to a parking lot on Sycamore Street for a female passed out, unresponsive, in a vehicle. When they arrived, the medics were already talking to the woman, identified as Brittney Lowmaster. At that time, she appeared to be under the influence of something, but she refused medical treatment from the medics.
Lowmaster had pills in her car, but she had a prescription for the pills. She also stated that she and her husband go to the methadone clinic every day. Officer Winfield and one of the medics went to the apartment to have her husband, Christopher Lowmaster, come outside. When they knocked, a female juvenile opened the door and said her dad went to the store to get baby formula. They returned outside, and the medics were still talking to Brittney when they left the scene.
Interview with juvenile victim on February 26
On Monday, February 26, Officer Winfield was at the Punxsutawney Area Middle School for training when he was summoned to the principal’s office.
The school principal, the school guidance counselor, and Punxsutawney Borough Police Chief Matt Conrad, were in the office. The guidance counselor explained that she had a female juvenile student in her office who told her that her dad and step-mother, Christopher Lowmaster and Brittney Lowmaster, started selling heroin in January, and both started using crystal meth about the same time, the complaint states.
The child reported that people are in and out of the apartment all the time, and she is worried about her little half-brother. The child also reported that her dad and step-mother were doing crystal meth over the weekend and were both up for several days straight. She said they both go to the methadone clinic every day and that her step-mother was passed out from being “all messed up” and her dad asked her to shoot him up with crystal meth in his vein. She said that her dad only has one working hand from an accident and that she was scared, but she did it anyway, the complaint continues.
Interview with juvenile victim on March 1
On Thursday, March 1, Officer Winfield interviewed the female juvenile, with her mother present, at the Punxsutawney Borough Police Station. Chief Conrad was also present for the interview.
Officer Winfield asked the girl what happened on Sunday while she was at her father’s apartment on Sycamore Street.
She stated that Brittney “was really messed up” and was “pretty much passed out on the ground” and that she had to be helped up, and she passed out on her bed.
The girl said that later Sunday evening, she put her little half-brother to bed and that her mom picks her up at 8:00 p.m., so it was about 7:40 p.m. when she was talking to her father in the bathroom.
According to the girl, he was telling her about the different times he had overdosed on drugs. He then asked her to inject him with a needle.
She told police that her dad told her it was crystal meth in the needle. She said he had a syringe already with clear liquid in it. She said that she stuck the needle into his vein, which was already popped so she didn’t have to tie his arm off. She then explained that when the vein is popped, it is already raised above the skin so you don’t need to tie it off. She said she put the needle in his arm and pushed the plunger. At that time, someone knocked on the door, and her dad took the syringe out of his arm and laid it on the counter and went to the door. Then, she got her stuff together, and her mom came to pick her up, according to the complaint.
Based on the investigation, Christopher Lowmaster was arraigned at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, March 2, in Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office.
He faces the following charges:
– Corruption of Minors, Misdemeanor 1
– Endangering Welfare of Children – Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Misdemeanor 1 (two counts)
Unable to post $40,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged at the Jefferson County Jail.
Brittney Lowmaster was arraigned at 9:00 am on Friday, March 2, in Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office.
She faces the following charges:
– Endangering Welfare of Children – Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Misdemeanor 1 (two counts)
Unable to post $30,000.00 monetary bail, she was lodged at the Jefferson County Jail.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 2:00 pm on Tuesday, March 27, with Judge Mizerock presiding.
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