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Husband and wife allegedly high on heroin with child in back seat

The county’s Children and Youth Department had to take protective custody of a child found in the back seat of a car after a man and his wife in the same vehicle were discovered to be allegedly “under the influence of heroin,” according to Old Lycoming Township Police Chief William Solomon.

After police discovered two packs of heroin, a needle and a syringe inside their car, Kris Allen Housel, 19, of Wellsboro, and his wife, Kristina, also 19, have both been charged with possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.

The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Weis Market, 1916 Lycoming Creek on the afternoon of July 8 when police were called for a possible “unresponsive person” in a car.

When Solomon arrived on the scene, he was directed by the 911 caller that the vehicle involved was just backing out of a parking stall. The officer stopped the car before it left the lot.

Behind the wheel was Housel, who was “sweating profusely,” according to Soloman.

“His eyes were glassy,” Solomon said, adding that a paper wrapper commonly used to package heroin was on Housel’s lap.

In the front passenger seat was Housel’s wife, who also “appeared to be under the influence of heroin,” Solomon said, adding that the woman admitted they were “using” the drug.

The county’s Children and Youth Department were dispatched to the scene to take custody of “a small child that was in a car seat” in the backseat, Solomon said.

The Housels, who have since been incarcerated in the Tioga County Prison on other drug offenses, were arraigned Tuesday before District Judge James H. Sortman on Solomon’s drug charges and recommitted in lieu of an additional $10,000 bail each.

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