CALLAHAN, Fla. – A fifth person has been arrested in connection with an investigation into a 1-year-old child who ingested methamphetamine after allegedly drinking from a sippy cup containing the drug inside a Callahan home.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said Mark Allen Windham, 46, was arrested Saturday, Aug. 22, following a months-long investigation. He is charged with Child Neglect Causing Great Bodily Harm and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with Residue.
Four other people, including the child’s parents, had previously been arrested in connection with the February incident.
The investigation began Feb. 24 after detectives learned the toddler had consumed liquid from a sippy cup. The child’s parents later discovered what authorities identified as a bag of methamphetamine at the bottom of the cup.
Investigators said the other four suspects, identified as Hayden Simmons, Damien Windham, Erica Foley and Judith Addison, told detectives that Mark Windham was the person who possessed the methamphetamine.
Simmons and Damien Windham also allegedly told investigators they witnessed Mark Windham pour the contents of his own cup into the toddler’s sippy cup.
Authorities said the investigation further revealed that the child’s parents and other residents did not immediately call 911 after discovering the child may have been exposed to methamphetamine.
Arrest Warrant Issued in February
Investigators obtained a warrant for Mark Windham’s arrest on Feb. 26, two days after the incident came to the attention of detectives. He was not taken into custody until Aug. 22.
Sheriff Bill Leeper credited detectives with continuing to pursue the case over the following months.
“Time doesn’t diminish our commitment to accountability,” Leeper said. “Our detectives continued working this case for months, following leads and pursuing every avenue until they identified and arrested everyone responsible.”
Windham was booked into the Nassau County Jail and Detention Center. His bond was set at more than $25,000 on the child neglect charge and $2,500 on the drug paraphernalia charge, according to the sheriff’s office.
The arrest marks the fifth announced in connection with the child’s methamphetamine exposure.