Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Brianna Brenea Clark, 35, is facing an additional child abuse charge after her six-year-old child reportedly tested positive for cocaine. Deputies initially arrested Clark on November 3 after allegedly finding cocaine within the child’s reach.
The case began around 10:30 p.m. on November 2, when an Alachua County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a disturbance report at the Motel 6 on West Newberry Road. A 911 dispatcher reported that a woman was screaming that she could not breathe, and a phone-location ping directed deputies to the southeast side of the motel.
Click here for additional information about the November 2 incident.
When the deputy knocked, Clark reportedly acknowledged that she had called 911 but said there was no problem. Deputies allegedly found drugs and drug paraphernalia beside the bed, close enough for the six-year-old child to reach.
Clark reportedly told the deputy without being questioned that she would accept responsibility for any illegal items in the room. According to the deputy’s report, cocaine was stored in a “colorful kid-friendly” Altoids mint tin inside an open cubby next to the bed, where the child could have accessed it easily.
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Because of the suspected drug exposure, the Department of Children and Families was contacted, and personnel from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office initially took custody of the child.
Clark was first booked on charges of child neglect without serious bodily harm, two counts of possessing a controlled substance and resisting an officer without violence.
An ASO detective later joined the investigation after the child tested positive for cocaine. During a forensic interview, the child reportedly discussed marijuana use in his presence and correctly described marijuana, along with the processes of “rolling” and “smoking” it. The test results allegedly indicated that the child had ingested cocaine “recently.”
The detective wrote that Clark, as the child’s primary caregiver, was responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy environment. The report alleges that the child was exposed to and ingested cocaine at some point, although the child did not appear to suffer visible harm. The child nevertheless required extensive medical testing and a forensic examination because of Clark’s alleged “willful actions to consume illegal and dangerous narcotics while in close proximity to [the victim] and leave them in a common area where [the victim] had unrestricted access to the narcotics.”
Clark is now charged with child abuse without great bodily harm. She has three prior nonviolent felony convictions and four nonviolent misdemeanor convictions, and authorities say this is her second probation violation. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $85,000 on the initial charges and ordered Clark held without bail until the probation matter is resolved. Judge Meshon Rawls set an additional $50,000 bail on the new charge.
Arrest reports from law enforcement agencies form the basis of these articles. The charges listed come from arrest reports and/or court records and are allegations only. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
