Mom arrested after 4-year-old girl brings 249 packets of heroin to day care, gives to kids

SELBYVILLE, Del. -- The mother of a 4-year-old girl was charged after her daughter allegedly brought 249 packets of heroin to her day care and passed them out to other children thinking it was candy, myfoxphilly.com reported Tuesday.

The TV news station, citing authorities, said troopers and medical personnel responded to a call at Hickory Tree Child Care Center around 11:45 a.m. Monday after day care workers saw some of the children with small bags of an unknown substance.

The substance was taken to the Selbyville Police Department where it was determined to be heroin, investigators say.

The primary investigation revealed that the girl brought the small bags of heroin in a backpack that her mother gave her after her backpack became ruined by the family pet sometime through Sunday night, according to police. Police say the child thought the packets were candy and began passing them out to other students



Several children who came in contact with the unopened bags were transported to area hospitals as a precautionary measure and were released after being examined.

Police say Ashley R. Tull, 30 of Selbyville, the mother of the young girl, was taken into custody. Tull is charged with Maintaining a Drug Property and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Tull has two additional children, a 9-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl, that reside in her residence along with the 4-year-old girl.

The children are currently in the custody of a relative.