Charlotte Mom, Passed Out on I-95, Arrested For Child Neglect

BOYNTON BEACH, FL — A Charlotte mother and her partner were arrested for drug charges and child neglect after they were found passed out along a busy interstate with their two children in the vehicle.

Twenty-five-year-old Tiffany Tapper and 27-year-old Matthew Lee Anderson were arrested March 24, each charged with child neglect, according to arrest documents. Tapper, who listed her address as the 7300 block of Ridgefield Drive in Charlotte, was also charged with Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs while Anderson was also charged with a controlled substance violation.

Anderson listed his address as the 6500 block of Rainwood Cove Lane in Lake Worth, Florida.

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"While in the car Mr. Anderson and Ms. Tapper were passed out and were not capable to provide their children with the proper care or supervision," according to arrest records reviewed by Patch. "There was no bodily harm to the children. The children both had soiled diapers. There were cockroaches inside the vehicle (within proximity of the children."

The Florida Highway Patrol said the couple was found on the south side of the highway just north of Gateway Boulevard shortly before 9:30 p.m. on Thursday. The initial call came in from Boynton Beach police of a sick or injured person behind the wheel.

A search of the vehicle that had Florida tags turned up a black cloth bag with a white pill bottle that contained three Unisom pills and one white tablet, which was later identified as buprenorphine hydrochloride, according to arrest documents. Police said that they also found a small clear bag of a white powder in Anderson's wallet that was later identified as fentanyl/heroin.

Anderson told police that they were driving to the home of Tapper's parents, according to arrest documents, which said that the children were turned over to a grandparent.

Photo of Tiffany Tapper courtesy of Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Paul Scicchitano contributed to this report.