(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) arrested a woman who deputies said was asleep with drugs and children in her car in the Stratmoor Valley area of El Paso County.
Just before 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3, deputies found a blue Ford Focus with several people inside during a patrol on Maxwell Street, near South Academy Boulevard and I-25. When they approached the car, deputies saw a woman, 38-year-old Kimberly Harris, asleep in the driver’s seat with three children also inside.
According to EPSO, several pieces of drug paraphernalia were visible to deputies during the stop. After seeing this, Harris was taken into custody without incident. Deputies said for the children’s safety, they were removed from the car before EPSO conducted a full search of the vehicle.
The further search revealed 0.1 grams of methamphetamine, three grams of heroin, and more paraphernalia in the car. The Stratmoor Hills Fire Department came to care for the children, who were later put in the custody of the El Paso County Department of Human Services. According to EPSO, none of the children required medical treatment.
During booking, it was revealed that Harris had three prior drug convictions before she was booked into the El Paso County Jail for Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Abuse. She is being held on a $1,000 bond.
“I want to thank our deputies for their proactive policing efforts, which once again helped protect innocent members of our community from dangerous circumstances. I also want to recognize the Stratmoor Hills Fire Department for their quick response and the compassion they showed to the children involved. This case is a reminder of the challenges our first responders face every day and the importance of working together to safeguard the most vulnerable.”
El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal
