In February, a traffic stop by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in Coffee County led to the removal of five children from a Georgia couple. The children were placed in state custody after their parents were charged with misdemeanor drug charges.
Bianca Clayborne and Deonte Williams were stopped on Interstate 24 for having dark-tinted windows and using the left lane without actively passing. The state trooper reported smelling marijuana and finding approximately five grams of the substance in the car.
Following a court ruling, the children were taken into custody by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS). The children, aged from four months to seven years old, have been in state custody since the incident. The couple is scheduled to appear in court on March 20.
In response to the situation, Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcott released a statement noting that his office will only handle the case in the criminal court of law. Northcott added that there may be more facts and circumstances that the defendants have not disclosed during their public statements about the case. Northcott also stated that his office has no role in the care, custody, and control of the minor children involved, which is the responsibility of the Department of Children Services.
As the case continues to unfold, more information may be disclosed, but due to legal and ethical limitations, Northcott will not be releasing any further information at this time.
