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Mom Charged With Child Neglect

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By KEVIN WIATROWSKI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 6, 2008

Kristin Marie Smith

Wesley Chapel - When a Pasco Sheriff's Office deputy found Kristin Marie Smith shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, she appeared to be dozing behind the wheel of her minivan while her 6-year-old daughter jumped up and down on the vehicle's front passenger seat.

Smith's 2-year-old son was lying on the van's back seat, the Sheriff's Office said.

Smith, 29, of 6239 Candlewood Drive in the Angus Valley section of Wesley Chapel was arrested and charged with child neglect, driving under the influence, driving without a license and possession of marijuana.

Deputies found Smith's van in the median of Gator Lane where it meets U.S. 41. Another driver had earlier called deputies to report Smith's van traveling erratically along U.S. 41, the Sheriff's Office said.

The deputy who responded to the call reported Smith's speech was "low and raspy to the point I couldn't understand her." The deputy said Smith told him she had taken a variety of prescription drugs, including Xanax, Soma and Percocet. Smith failed several roadside sobriety tests, the deputy reported.

At the time of her arrest, Smith also had two outstanding warrants for her arrest regarding previous incidents when she drove without a license.

Smith was being held Saturday at the Land O' Lakes Jail on $6,000 bond.

The Sheriff's Office didn't reveal what happened to Smith's children. Spokesman Kevin Doll said in such cases the Sheriff's Office places the children with a family member or in temporary foster care.

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