A Texas woman is in trouble after her 1-year-old nephew was reportedly exposed to marijuana while she was taking care of him. Vianney Alyssa Acosta, 22, faces charges of child endangerment following an incident in El Paso.
Authorities received a call about a medical emergency involving the child on May 16. When deputies arrived, they found the toddler having difficulty breathing. He was being treated by emergency workers and was in distress.
According to the investigation, Acosta, along with the child’s father and grandmother, was watching the boy while his mother was at work. The grandmother mentioned that she heard the toddler coughing from Acosta’s bedroom and went to check on him. Upon inspection, the child was holding a THC vape pen that belonged to Acosta.
Acosta told deputies that she believed her vape was out of the child’s reach, claiming it was kept on a nightstand with items covering it. However, deputies noted that the pen was in an accessible spot, and Acosta acknowledged that the toddler could climb to reach things.
Although she claimed not to have seen the child with the pen, Acosta concluded he must have inhaled from it because he appeared red and was coughing. The toddler was later taken to a local hospital, where a urine test confirmed he had THC in his system.
Acosta was arrested on May 21 and charged with child endangerment and possession of a controlled substance. She was later released from jail after posting a $6,000 bond. In Texas, child endangerment can lead to up to two years in prison and fines, while possession of a controlled substance could also result in similar penalties.
