Probation Violation Adds $50,000 Bail for Mother of Child Who Tested Positive for Cocaine
Alachua County prosecutors upgraded charges after a six-year-old ingested drugs found in a motel room.
By Madison Lewis ·
Brianna Brenea Clark faces an additional $50,000 in bail requirements after a six-year-old boy in her care tested positive for cocaine.
Deputies discovered the drugs in a motel room on November 2. The child’s medical results confirmed recent ingestion. Clark was initially charged with child neglect and possession of a controlled substance. The new charge is child abuse without great bodily harm.
Clark, 35, has three non-violent felony convictions and four non-violent misdemeanors. This incident marks her second probation violation. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set $85,000 bail on the initial counts. Judge Meshon Rawls added the new $50,000 requirement on the abuse charge.
The incident began at Motel 6 on West Newberry Road. A deputy responded to a disturbance call at 10:30 p.m. Clark admitted to calling 911 but claimed nothing had happened. Officers found cocaine in an Altoids can inside an open cubby next to the bed. The container was within arm's reach of the child. Clark stated she would take responsibility for the items in the room.
The Department of Children and Families took custody of the boy. An Alachua County Sheriff’s Office detective conducted a forensic interview. The child described seeing marijuana use and explained how to roll and smoke it. The detective noted Clark left narcotics in a common area where the child had unrestricted access. The report described her actions as willful consumption of dangerous drugs near the victim.
The child underwent extensive medical testing. Although he appeared unharmed, the investigation focused on the proximity of the drugs to the minor. Clark remains in custody while the probation violation is resolved. The total cash bail now stands at $135,000.
