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Couple caught with heroin, kids in car, arraigned
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Reports said a man told police Wednesday, when asked why he was about to shoot heroin in a South Avenue parking lot with two young children in his car, that he is not a bad person.
Cliff Kilgar, 26, of Poland, told the officers he hid heroin he had on him between his legs so the kids would not see it.
Kilgar and the mother of the children, Emilee Shaw, 28, of East Palestine, were each arraigned in municipal court Thursday via video hookup from the Mahoning County jail. They each faced a felony charge of possession of drugs/heroin and misdemeanor counts of possession of a drug-abuse instrument and possession of drug paraphernalia. Shaw faces an additional misdemeanor count of endangering children.
Officers Joseph Burnich and Jeffrey Kay were called about 6:15 p.m. to the 2725 South Ave. parking lot by an off-duty officer who was working security at a store. Reports said the store manager told the off-duty officer that he thought there were two people shooting heroin in a car in the parking lot, so the officer called for regular officers to assist him.
When all three approached the car, they found Kilgar in the driver’s seat, with a cord tied around his arm like he was about to use heroin, and a loaded syringe was between his legs. The children, a 6-year-old and the other under a year old, were in the back seat. Reports said Kilgar told police he bought the heroin for himself and Shaw, who was in the passenger’s seat, at a nearby gas station.
Shaw gave police a syringe, spoon and needle that was in her bra but denied she was going to use heroin, reports said. Reports said police had to call Columbiana County Children Services to determine what to do with her children, who were later released to an approved person, reports said.
Reports said when Shaw called the person to come and get the children, she told the person she drove to Youngstown with Kilgar so they could buy heroin.
At her arraignment, Shaw told Magistrate Anthony Sertick she was married but her husband and father of one of the children was in jail. Sertick asked her why she would have her children with her when traveling to take drugs.
“What kind of environment and example are you setting for these two kids?” Sertick asked her. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”
“I know,” Shaw said. “I’m very ashamed.”
Bond was set at $10,000 for Kilgar and $15,000 for Shaw.