Area Woman Faces Charges After Three-Year-Old Tests Positive for Methamphetamine

SLIGO BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – Charges have been filed against a Sligo woman after her three-year-old child tested positive for methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on September 15, Clarion-based State Police filed the following criminal charges against 42-year-old Connie Mae Zellefrow:

– Endangering Welfare of Children – Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Felony 3
– Corruption of Minors, Misdemeanor 1
– Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2

On May 24, Clarion-based State Police initiated an investigation into an alleged incident of child endangerment after it was reported that a three-year-old victim had tested positive for methamphetamine, according to a criminal complaint.

The victim’s father reported that May 22 was the first time he had custody of the victim in three weeks. He told police a known woman contacted him to pick up the victim at a residence in Strattanville because the victim’s mother, Connie Zellefrow, had been arrested earlier that day, the complaint states.

Upon his arrival to pick up the victim, the father learned there was drug activity occurring in Zellefrow’s home. He told police he was encouraged to take the victim for a drug test because Zellefrow was allegedly smoking meth in her house with the victim present. The father then took the victim to Clarion Hospital for drug testing the following day and found the victim tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the complaint.

Police then spoke to the juvenile victim.

According to the complaint, when asked if he remembered being around smoke, the victim said “no,” and when asked if he was ever given something to smoke, the victim also said “no.” However, when asked if his mother ever smoked around him, the victim said “yeah,” and when further asked if any of the smoke ever got in his face, the victim said, “Yeah, when I was sitting on the couch, she was smoking around me.”

The complaint notes Zellefrow was arrested at Walmart in Clarion on May 22, and during a search incident to arrest, she was found to be in possession of drugs and paraphernalia, including quantities of methamphetamine.

Zellefrow was then interviewed on May 24.

According to the complaint, Zellefrow admitted to having methamphetamine and marijuana in her possession when she was arrested on May 22 but stated while the scales and marijuana found in her possession belonged to her, the methamphetamine was given to her by her sister in the parking lot prior to entering the store. She told police when she got the bag, she believed the contents to be heroin and was “distraught” when she found out there were “pins” (needles) and “a little meth” found in the bag.

Zellefrow reportedly stated she does not smoke meth around her child. She told police she only used meth in the past, approximately 15 years prior, the complaint continues.

When told the victim tested positive for methamphetamine, she said she understood and was glad the victim’s father took him for testing. She told police that when she was arrested, she had been at Walmart with a second known woman and a known man, and said she left the victim in the custody of the second known woman, who then took him to the first known woman’s residence in Strattanville where his father later picked him up. She confirmed that the victim’s father hadn’t seen him in three weeks and stated that although the victim was with his father for a night before being tested, she does not believe the father is doing meth around the victim, according to the complaint.

Zellefrow was then asked to provide information about the last three weeks when she had custody of the victim, including who she was with, what they did, and where they went, to help determine how the victim could have been exposed to methamphetamine. Zellefrow reportedly stated when she has custody of the victim, she does not do much, and they normally stay home.

The complaint notes Zellefrow denied having any knowledge of how the victim was exposed to methamphetamine.

Police then received a total of six photographs from Clarion County CYS and the victim’s father, including a photo that depicts Zellefrow and another individual in a bathroom with various drug paraphernalia around them, and a photo that depicts the individuals injecting something into Zellefrow’s lower back, the complaint indicates.

On June 1, police interviewed the two known women and two other individuals.

The second known woman reportedly told police she was given custody of the victim after Zellefrow was arrested and then took the victim to the first known woman’s residence. She stated she was with the victim the whole time they were at the first known woman’s residence and did not see the victim use or be offered methamphetamine. She said she was certain the victim was not exposed to methamphetamine while briefly in her care at the first known woman’s residence, according to the complaint.

The first known woman told police she has known Zellefrow to use methamphetamine and had witnessed Zellefrow and other individuals smoking meth while the victim was nearby, in the same room. She also related that approximately 10 minutes before the victim’s father came to pick up the victim, a third known woman, a friend of Zellefrow’s, stopped by and stood in the front doorway until the victim’s father arrived.

The first known woman also reportedly indicated Zellefrow had previously come to her residence for “help shooting up.” She told police she had photos of Zellefrow in her bathroom using meth. She also reported having been to Zellefrow’s home multiple times and said she witnessed “a bunch of people” in the residence smoking methamphetamine around the victim, according to the complaint.

She also reported that she had specifically witnessed people smoking meth around the victim at Zellefrow’s residence three days prior to when Zellefrow was arrested, including Zellefrow and an unknown male. She told police she warned Zellefrow that the victim was present and could be getting methamphetamine in his system, the complaint states.

Zellefrow was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey C. Miller at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15.

Unable to post $5,000.00 (10%) monetary bail, she was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

She was released on Wednesday, September 16, on a surety posted by a professional bondsman.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. on September 29, with Judge Miller presiding.


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