BILLINGS – A Billings man was charged with drug use and leaving his 2-year-old daughter alone inside an apartment with drug paraphernalia, Yellowstone County prosecutors said in court documents filed Thursday.
Andrew New, 29, was booked into the Yellowstone County Jail Aug. 14 on suspicion of drug charges and a parole violation.
According to charging documents, New’s probation officer was contacted on July 5 after he and his partner, Cienna Brave, showed up at a Billings hospital behaving erratically. Hospital staff contacted Child Protective Services with concern about their child’s whereabouts.
When officers arrived at the couple’s apartment, they knocked on the door but no one answered. After contacting the landlord who, according to police, would not let them in, officers obtained permission to forcibly enter the home.
Officers used breaching tools to get in the door and reportedly heard the crying of a child.
Once inside, officers found the 2-year-old girl standing in the room and reaching out her arms. The child was taken out of the apartment and described as dirty and with a wet diaper.
Officers also found several items of drug paraphernalia in the apartment such as a digital scale, a knife, a bag of syringes and empty needles.
A supervisor with Child Protective Services also conducted a drug test on the toddler which tested positive for methamphetamine.
In addition to drug charges, New is facing a felony charge of endangering the welfare of a child.
