D.A.: Chesco woman gave heroin to daughter, 14
A Chester County woman has been arrested after admitting to injecting her 14-year-old daughter and her daughter's boyfriend with heroin and giving the drug to the teens for them to inhale on multiple occasions.
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A Chester County woman has been arrested after admitting to injecting her 14-year-old daughter and her daughter's boyfriend with heroin and giving the drug to the teens for them to inhale on multiple occasions.
The woman's boyfriend, who allegedly supplied heroin and drug paraphernalia to her and the teens, was wanted after failing to turn himself in to West Caln police at a designated time Monday, said Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan.
Jessica Lynn Riffey, 34, of Honeybrook was charged last week with endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, drug delivery, and related charges, Hogan said Monday.
Her boyfriend, Jameson Burn, 33, is being charged separately with drug dealing and other offenses. Public records show Burn having a residence in Berks County.
"Injecting children, including your own daughter, with heroin demonstrates a depravity that defies belief," Hogan said.
The girl and her 16-year-old boyfriend were both found at Riffey's home in West Caln Township on Thursday when police responded to a report that prompted a well-being check. The boyfriend lived with Riffey and her daughter, Hogan said.
The children told police that Riffey had more than once taken them to her bedroom to use the drug. Riffey tied a string around their arms to make their veins pop out, then used a hypodermic needle to inject them with heroin. They said Burn brought the paraphernalia to the house and also supplied the children with heroin to snort, according to the criminal complaint.
Riffey admitted to giving the teens the drug but said she had done it no more than three times, police said. From July to September, Burn pressured them into using the heroin, Riffey told police.
Earlier this year, she was charged twice with a violation of the statute requiring parents to send their children to school.
Riffey is being held at Chester County Prison.
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Inquirer staff writer Michaelle Bond contributed to this article.