MCCORDSVILLE — A local nanny told police she “needed to get her fix,” so she drove to Indianapolis to buy methamphetamine, leaving two children in her care alone for hours, court document state.
A McCordsville mother told police Tiffany McCampbell, 31, moved into her home on the county’s north side about two months ago to help care for her children – a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old, according to court documents.
After repeated calls to McCampbell’s cellphone went unanswered one day this week, the mother sent a neighbor to check on her children. The neighbor discovered the kids alone in the home, with McCampbell nowhere to be found, court documents state.
When McCampbell returned to the McCordsville home – nearly 24 hours later – and was confronted by officers, she said she’d left to buy drugs, court documents state. She was arrested and now faces three felony counts accusing her of neglect and drug possession.
Charges were filed against McCampbell on Thursday, and she pleaded guilty to the accusations the same day. She’ll return to court for sentencing next month, records show.
The children’s mother told police she left for work around 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, leaving McCampbell alone with her two kids, charging documents state. She called McCampbell’s cellphone around 9:30 a.m. and again around 3:15 p.m. to check in, but both calls went unanswered, the mother said.
Around 3:45 p.m., she called the home’s landline, and her 8-year-old answered. The child said McCampbell had been gone for hours, court documents state.
The mother immediately called a neighbor and sent them to the house to check on the children. The neighbor then called 911 after confirming the kids were home alone, court documents allege. The issue was reported to the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Police were called back to the same home early the next day by a cabdriver, who complained about a woman – later identified as McCampbell – who wasn’t able to pay her fare.
A detective responded to the scene and quickly recognized McCampbell’s name from a previous report, according to court documents.
The detective confronted McCampbell about the mother’s accusations, and McCampbell admitted she’d left the children alone around 9 a.m. the day before while she went to buy crystal meth, according to court documents. She said she thought she’d be back quickly and assumed the children would just watch TV while she was gone, according to charging documents.
“Ms. McCampbell stated that yesterday, she had to have her fix,” a police report of the incident reads.
McCampbell still had drugs with her at the time of her arrest, court documents state. Police say she asked if they could save what was left of her meth “so she could smoke it.”
McCampbell faces two Level 6 felony counts of neglect of a dependent and one Level 6 felony count of possession of methamphetamine. Each charges carries a penalty range of six months to 2½ years.
Hancock County Superior Court 2 Judge Dan Marshall will sentence McCampbell at 9 a.m. on May 7. Proceedings are open to the public.