Child abuse charges pending after Hawkins meth lab raid

CHURCH HILL — Child abuse charges are pending against a Hawkins County couple accused of cooking meth at their residence Wednesday night with their children in the house.

Late Wednesday night the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, following up on tipster information about meth manufacturing, was conducting an investigation regarding alleged illegal activities at the home of Stanley Reid Hart, 38 and LeAnn Cathy Reynolds, 35, 123 Woodland Lane, Lot 7 in the Church Hill.

Sheriff Ronnie Lawson said deputies were walking the area when they detected the chemical odor associated with meth manufacturing.

“Narcotics officers were successful in narrowing the odor down and determined it to be emanating from lot 7, which is the home of Mr. Hart and Ms. Reynolds,” Lawson said. “Narcotics officers made contact with the couple at the home at which time it was determined that there was also two children inside the home, ages 10 and 16. All occupants of the mobile home were immediately removed from the home for safety precautions.”

Hart and Reynolds were determined to be the parents of both children. The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services was contacted and took custody of both children, who were transported to a local hospital for medical evaluations.

Narcotics officers then entered the couple’s home and allegedly recovered a “shake and bake” meth lab in a plastic bottle.
Another older meth lab was recovered from the porch of the home.

“Trained narcotics officers removed the meth labs from the home, neutralized their chemical reactions, and safely packaged them for transport to an unspecified hazardous waste location,” Lawson said. “Numerous other components that are utilized in the operation of a meth lab were also recovered from the home. These components consisted of empty pseudoephedrine packs, coffee filters, sulfuric acid, rubber tubing, emptied lithium battery casings, as well as a home improvised hydrochloric acid generator.”

Hart and Reynolds were decontaminated and charged with initiating the process to manufacture meth and maintaining a dwelling where narcotics are housed, sold or manufactured.

Child abuse charges are pending a DCS investigation.

The home was also placed under quarantine.

As of Thursday the couple remained lodged in the Hawkins County Jail on $100,000 bond each pending arraignment Oct. 29.

Assisting the HCSO at the scene were the Tennessee Methamphetamine and Pharmaceutical Task Force, the Carters Valley Volunteer Fire Department, and Church Hill EMS.