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29th Jan 2017

Couple passed out from overdose found in car with two babies in the backseat

A shocking picture showing the devastation of addiction.

Amanda Cassidy

Another shocking picture showing the devastation of addiction.

This picture was taken by police in Florida after a couple passed out from a drugs overdose. The video footage shows two babies still in the backseat.

The five-month-old and one-year-old were taken into police custody by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s office.

Their parents, 36-year-old William Ballard and 32-year-old Delenay Crissinger were arrested on suspicion of drug and child neglect allegations.

CCTV show them driving into a petrol station in the early hours of the morning and were still there at 8 am when staff spotted the car.

Inside the car, police found bags of methamphetamine and heroin and a syringe was found on the floor beside the baby formula

Lt Joe Giasone who’s leading the investigation told Fox news

“It’s a sad situation all around. Anyone that would leave kids in the back of the car when they have that amount drugs that were in this car – it’s sad for the kids.”

This picture is drawing parallels with an incident in Ohio last year in which police released photo’s of a four-year-old in the back of a car while his parents were passed out in the front.

The police were quick to defend their decision to release the picture

“We are well aware that some may be offended by these images and for that we are truly sorry, but it is time that the non-drug-using public sees what we are now dealing with on a daily basis.”