EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah, March 3, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — A 19-year-old Eagle Mountain woman was arrested during a traffic stop after she allegedly tried to hide cocaine she had left in a box near her unrestrained 2-year-old daughter.
On Tuesday just after 6:30 p.m., a detective with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office stopped a car in Eagle Mountain after he saw it was being driven erratically, said a news release. He also saw a young child unrestrained, moving around the backseat of the car.
When the officer pulled up next to the car he saw the driver engaged in a video phone call while she was driving, the news release said. After stopping the car for these violations the detective spoke to the driver and noticed the smell of marijuana.
Another deputy arrived to help. They asked the driver, Gabriella Ann McKenzie, to get her children, ages 2 years and 8 months, out of the car so they could search it.
“She argued with them, telling them they could not search her car,” the statement said. “As she reached in the backseat to remove her children the detective and deputy saw her take something out of a box next to one of the children and conceal it in her waistband. Concerned it might be a weapon, the deputy put handcuffs on her and saw a brown bag partially concealed in McKenzie’s waistband. This bag contained a small amount of white powder that was later determined to be cocaine. Also found in the car was a small amount of marijuana, a bottle of liquor, and drug paraphernalia.”
The grandparents of the children arrived and took McKenzie’s daughters and her car.
The information about this case was also reported to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services.
McKenzie was booked into jail on charges of third-degree felony endangerment of a child, along with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal possession of alcohol, evidence tampering, illegal possession of tobacco, use of a handheld device while driving, suspended driver license and failure to stay in one lane.
