Picayune police officers investigated a case involving a report of child neglect and a separate case where pest control personnel at public housing found marijuana inside a home.

The child welfare case began with a call from a concerned family member, who said their son’s live-in girlfriend appeared too intoxicated to care for her child, said Assistant to the Chief of Police Jeremy Magri.

Officers were called out to the home of 35-year-old Cheriss Buckley at 1104 Fourth Ave., Wednesday at about noon after the family member reported her concerns, Magri said. The complainant told officers that earlier in the day she talked to Buckley on the phone and noticed her speech was slurred, prompting the complainant to go to the home, Magri said.

When the complainant arrived, she could smell alcohol on Buckley and noticed she appeared intoxicated, Magri said. Shortly after arriving at the home, the complainant said Buckley left the room and laid down in her bed, where it appeared she had passed out, Magri said.

Since the complainant had to go to work, she called the police department, and when the officer arrived, it took several attempts by the officer to rouse Buckley, Magri said. After Buckley was awakened, she appeared to be disoriented and stumbled as she walked, Magri said. The officer also noted the smell of alcohol on Buckley and that she had appeared to have urinated on herself and the bed, Magri said. Some marijuana was also found on a coffee table in the home, Magri said.

The Department of Human Services was called out, and its workers took custody of the 7-month-old child, while an ambulance was dispatched to check on Buckley and transport her to the hospital for care due to her state, Magri said.

Once Buckley was discharged from the hospital, she was charged with child neglect and possession of marijuana, Magri said.

In a another case on Tuesday, officers were contacted by Public Housing employees that pest control specialists performing their duties in a home at 1500 Sixth Ave., Apt. J-1, found a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana along with hand-rolled cigarettes containing the same substance in plain view in the home, Magri said.

Officers arrived and secured the contraband along with $101 in cash found next to the controlled substance, Magri said. About 10 minutes into the search of the home, the resident, 30-year-old James William arrived and was charged with possession of a controlled substance, Magri said.