Police: Woman admits to blacking out on heroin with child in car

Jennifer Anderson arrested on child neglect, drug charges

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A St. Johns County woman admitted to using too much heroin and passing out in her car with her child in the back seat, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

Jennifer Anderson, 40, was arrested Thursday on charges of child neglect, controlled substance possession and use, or possession, of drug paraphernalia. 

Police were called about 2 p.m. Thursday to a BP gas station off Emerson Street on Jacksonville's Southside after a customer saw Anderson sitting in a car and noticed something was wrong.

The witness noticed that Anderson needed medical attention, so he reached into her car, put the vehicle in park and called 911, according to the police report. 

When officers arrived, police said they spotted a bent spoon on top of the car's center console as well as two syringes and a small amount of meth on the driver's seat.

According to police, a child, who was identified by family members as Anderson's 4-year-old son, was in the back seat witnessing it all.

Anderson admitted to using heroin in front of her child, even saying that she used too much and blacked out momentarily, the report said.

She also told police that she was under methadone treatment and had a small amount of meth in her purse. 

The Department of Children and Families was notified.

Officers also called Anderson's husband, who told police that he thought his wife had a serious problem.

Family members told News4Jax that they did not wish to comment, merely saying that the entire situation is sad because Anderson has two children, the 4-year-old boy and a 15-year-old whose birthday was Friday.

Anderson was booked into the Duval County Jail and ordered held on $65,000 bond.

According to court records, Anderson was arrested on drug charges about 10 years ago.