Mom arrested after Facebook photo allegedly shows her smoking meth next to baby


Ashley Ann Lewis of Richmond, Missouri, is facing charges after a photo of her allegedly smoking meth with a baby lying next to her circulated on Facebook.

The photo shows Lewis allegedly smoking from a glass pipe with her 6-month-old-daughter next to her on the couch.

WDAF reported that a friend of Lewis posted the photo to Facebook with the caption, "Please help my friend Ashley Lewis and I stop using meth. We can't even stop with a baby around. We need help."

The photo, which was shared by an unknown third party, was posted on the Facebook page of a friend of Lewis.

The photo has since been deleted from Facebook.

Lewis, 28, was charged with three felonies on Friday: Possession of a controlled substance, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police were made aware of the photo and located a hotel Lewis was living at.

Authorities searched the room Friday night.

KCTV reported that police found eight glass smoking pipes, five cut straws, a digital scale, a hand-held propane torch and a lighter, according to court documents.

Lewis admitted the pipes were hers. They tested positive for methamphetamine residue.

"She said the picture was about a month old, and she did indicate that it was her smoking meth in the picture," Detective Scott Bagley with the Richmond Police Department said. "She was obviously very upset, believing that life was over, that she was going to no longer get to see her kid.

Lewis is in jail on $15,000 bail. She is due in court next week.

Her daughter is in protective care.

If convicted, she could spend up to 15 years in prison.