PUNXSUTAWNEY BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – A Punxsutawney man is facing child endangerment charges after he reportedly overdosed on heroin with two young children in his care.
Court documents indicate the Punxsutawney Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 35-year-old Canyon Beer.
According to a criminal complaint, around 11:01 a.m. on Sunday, September 12, Punxsutawney Borough Police were dispatched to a residence on Marion Avenue for a report of a man overdosing.
When police arrived at the scene, they found two small juvenile boys on the porch of the residence, and one of the boys said “he’s on the floor,” and pointed to the kitchen, according to the complaint.
The complaint notes the boys appeared to be frightened and were crying.
Police then went inside, and a known man directed them to the kitchen where Canyon Beer was on the floor. The known man told police that “Narcan has been administered with no help,” and he had been doing CPR, but Beer was not coming around. Police were able to find a weak pulse, but Beer remained unresponsive. Medics then arrived and gave Beer intravenous Narcan, and he became responsive and began breathing on his own.
Beer did admit to taking heroin but did not know if there was any fentanyl in the heroin. He was also unwilling to say where he had gotten the heroin. He refused to go to the hospital with the medics but agreed to go by way of a personal vehicle, according to the complaint.
Police then contacted the children’s mother and had her come to get the children.
When police spoke to the boys, they reported watching Beer on the floor while the known man “gave it to him in his nose,” referring to a previous dose of Narcan the man had administered to Beer, the complaint states.
Police then submitted a ChildLine report on the incident.
The following charges were filed against Beer through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office on September 13:
– Endangering Welfare of Children – Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Misdemeanor 1 (two counts)
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m on November 9, with Judge Mizerock presiding.
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