Man charged after 1-year-old child overdoses on illegal drugs, Alabama police say

Published 3:44 pm Friday, December 15, 2023

An Alabama man has been arrested after police say a 1-year-old child was found unconscious from a drug overdose.

Police were called to an address on 3rd Avenue SW in Decatur after a child became unconscious. After taking the child to a hospital, medical officials discovered the child had overdosed. The child should recover, police said.

Police said Matthew Garth, 23, of Decatur, Alabama, was arrested and charged with chemical endangerment of a child, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, distributing and trafficking in drugs.

He was being held on $356,300 in bonds, jail records indicated.

Another man, Zachary Chase Ratliff, 25, also of Decatur, was also at the house and was arrested and charged with trafficking dangerous drugs, jail records show. He was held on $5,000