Three people face charges in Howard County after a child injured

FAYETTE, Mo. (KMIZ)

Howard County Sheriff's Department began an investigation after a child in Fayette was placed on a ventilator due to exposure to marijuana and "essential oils" on Nov. 18.

According to court documents, the child was found unresponsive and taken to the hospital where Tristan Easley told hospital staff that "he left the 'essential oils' and marijuana out in an accessible area for the child to be able to ingest."

Court documents say the child tested positive for THC.

Easley told a deputy at the hospital that on Nov. 18 he was getting ready for work and then laid back down. Easley told the deputy that he left some marijuana wax in the same drawer he had left the essential oil bottle but he typically keeps the wax somewhere else.

According to court documents, Easley called Ronald Shiflett to get rid of the marijuana wax and paraphernalia.

The deputy spoke with the child's mother, Heather Wright. Wright told the deputy that she knew Easley had marijuana wax and left it in locations the child could get into.

The deputy reports talking to Shiflett and Shiflett told him that he went to Easley's house and took the items from the house and threw them into the Missouri River.

Shiflett told the deputy he did this because "he did not want Easley to get in trouble with the law according to court documents."

Easley is charged with 1st-degree endangering the welfare of a child and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.

Wright is charged with 1st-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Shiflett is charged with tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.

Easley and Wright's next court date is on Jan. 26.

Shiflett's next court date is on Feb. 25.