March 26, 2025
A woman walked into a local emergency room in Marion County with her two year old child Friday, March 21, 2025. The mother explained to medical staff that her child was “acting crazy” swinging her arms erratically, bouncing off the walls and had not slept all night. An immediate medical examination determined the child was exhibiting symptoms commonly seen in adults who are “tweaking.” Lab reports confirmed the child was suffering from an acute intoxication due to an exposure to methamphetamines or other stimulant. Additional testing was performed and the child also tested positive for exposure to opiates. Medical staff immediately contacted law enforcement to investigate. Local law enforcement responded and determined the child and mother lived in Levy County and contacted the LCSO to continue the investigation.
Levy County Sheriff’s Detectives teamed with Child Protective Investigators with the Department of Children and Family Services to investigate. Detectives learned the mother, identified as Debra Scott (7/27/95), only recently moved to Bronson with her paramour and her child into a home known for prior narcotic activity. Other individuals were roommates at this same location. The mother admitted to Detectives that she recently used methamphetamines.
The investigation determined the mother began seeing symptoms in her child some 12 hours prior to taking the child to the hospital. She did not call 911 but instead contacted a friend for a ride to a hospital well away from where she was living. She knowingly put her child at risk and failed to protect the child from dangerous drugs while using dangerous drugs herself. A warrant for her arrest was issued on Monday, March 24, 2025. Scott was located in Gilchrist County on March 25, 2025 and with the assistance of the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office she was taken into custody. She was booked into the Gilchrist County Jail and will be transferred to Levy County after her first appearance.