ALIQUIPPA — A Harmony Township woman was found in possession of drugs and paraphernalia insider her car, including an uncapped, used syringe in the back seat within reach of a 16-month-old child, police said.
According to an Aliquippa police report, Ellice J. Platz, 21, was stopped at about 6:30 p.m. April 3 in the Plan 11 neighborhood of Aliquippa for failing to use a turn signal. Police said officers followed her shortly before she was stopped in the 1300 block of Kennedy Boulevard.
A man was in the passenger seat and a 16-month-old baby in the back seat, police said.
According to the report, Platz told officers she was driving through the area because she was “looking for Wi-Fi for her phone.” Police said the male passenger first told officers they were driving in the area to “pick someone up.” He later told them they were actually there to buy heroin but had been unsuccessful.
Platz admitted to using heroin but said she hadn’t taken it since the night before, according to the report.
Police said officers searched the car and found “several syringes,” a crack pipe, an empty stamp bag of heroin and metal spoons with “suspected heroin residue.” Investigators also found five stamp bags of heroin in the glove box and an uncapped, used syringe in the back seat “in close proximity” to the child, police said.
Platz, of 967 Olga St., was charged with a felony count of endangering the welfare of a child and possession of drug paraphernalia. She is awaiting a preliminary hearing, according to court records.