Missoula Woman With an Infant Gets Caught With Drugs

On July 22, 2022, Missoula Police Department officers were dispatched to a gas station on South Higgins for a report of a female who was displaying signs that she was under the influence of drugs. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold explains.

“Joetta King is being held at the Missoula County Detention Center on multiple felony charges,” Arnold said. “Dispatch took a 911 call regarding a female who had an infant with her and appeared to be on drugs. Prior to arriving on the scene, dispatch updated the responding officers that King had passed out. On the scene, officers contacted King who displayed indicators of being under the influence of drugs.”

Officers further observed that King was swaying and could barely keep her eyes open. Officers spoke to the reporting party who reported King appeared fine, then went into the bathroom for fifteen minutes, then exited.

King stated she was exhausted and that was why she passed out. Officers determined King was on probation and called the on-call probation officer.

“Probation became involved and a probation search was conducted where schedule two drugs were located,” Arnold said. “The infant appeared unharmed, but King was unfit to care for herself or the child. The infant was taken to a safe and responsible person. King was arrested for possession of dangerous drugs, endangering the welfare of a child, and a violation of probation.”

According to court documents, officers located Oxycodone pills in King’s purse. King admitted the pills were Oxycodone. She did not have a prescription for the pills but used them for headaches. She said received the pills from a “friend of a friend.”

King is currently being charged with one count of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs.

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.