Father accused of putting methamphetamine into child’s backpack

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A man was arrested and charged after methamphetamine was found inside a child’s backpack at school on Thursday in Pinellas County, Florida.

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In a news release, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said detectives with the crimes against children unit arrested Joseph Dombrowsky, 49, of Pinellas Park, and charged him with child neglect.

A child handed their teacher two clear baggies with a substance inside and reportedly told the teacher that their father put the items in his backpack, according to WFLA.

The teacher told school administrators, who contacted law enforcement. They tested the substance and it was positive for methamphetamine, according to the news outlet. It weighed about 9 grams.

The child reportedly told investigators that he found the baggies in his backpack when he was looking for some candy, the sheriff’s office said.

Dombrowsky denied knowing about how the baggies got into the child’s backpack, according to the sheriff’s office. It was learned during the investigation that Dombrowsky had used methamphetamine and ecstasy over the past weekend.

The sheriff’s office said Dombrowsky had been previously arrested for drug trafficking.