A Freestone County couple, Crystal and Thomas Wilkins, has been arrested for forcing their 7-year-old son to participate in smoking pot and taking crystal meth with them.
On October 26, 2017, Freestone County Sheriff’s Deputies Brody Weinmann and Mike Darby responded to a residence on FM 80 South in Donie for a welfare check on a child reportedly smoking marijuana with his mother, Crystal Rose Wilkins (37), and step-father, Thomas “Tommy” Lee Wilkins (35).
According to the Officer’s Sworn Affidavit filed by Deputy Weinmann, upon arrival and knocking on the door, there was no response. After about five minutes, a van emerged from a wooded area behind the residence, occupied by the Wilkins couple.
The couple allowed deputies in the home where they were allowed to visit with the child in the living room; during which the child revealed that he had been around the parents as they smoked marijuana.
At this point, Deputy Weinmann stood outside with Mr. Wilkins as he contacted Child Protective Services. Deputy Darby, with consent from the couple, proceeded to search the home. During his search, he located a variety of drugs and paraphernalia.
Items found include multiple smoking pipes of various construction containing heavy amounts of a white crystallized residue, several plastic zip-loc style baggies containing crystal like residue, several scales with white granulated residue, marijuana grinders with residue, marijuana smoking pipes with residue, and two small plastic baggies containing large shards of a crystallized substance.
Mrs. Wilkins’ mother was contacted to take custody of the child; and the couple was arrested and transported to Freestone County Jail.
The child was taken for a Forensic Interview at the Child Advocacy Center on October 30, 2017. During the questioning, performed by Forensic Interviewer Kristi Skains, the child explained that he smokes weed with his parents; and that his dad calls him names and punched him in his stomach; and his mom punched him in the nose, making it bleed.
A hair follicle drug screen performed on the child tested positive for Methamphetamine in his system.
The boy’s biological father, Justin Douglas Gladden, of Missouri, has taken the child into his custody.
Crystal and Thomas Wilkins have each been charged with Abandonment/Endangerment of Child Imminent Danger (Second Degree Felony), for Manufacturing/Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Second Degree Felony), each with a $40,000 bond amount per charge; as well as Injury to a Child Criminal Negligence (Second Degree Felony), with a $10,000 bond amount. A total of $90,000 each.
