VIDEO: Parent Accused Of Using Heroin With Kids Inside Vehicle 6pm 11/21/11

UPDATE: Parent Accused Of Using Heroin With Kids Inside Vehicle 10pm news 11/21/2011

UPDATED Monday, November 21, 2011--8:30p.m.

MONONA--Around 10:30 Saturday night an anonymous person spotted what appeared to be a woman in a van in an underground parking lot--and she appeared to be shooting heroin. That person called the police, and when they got there, they found three young kids in the van. "There were needles and drug paraphernalia in the van with her and when confronted by the officer she did roll up her sleeves and there were fresh track marks," said Walter Ostrenga, the Monona chief of police.

Police say the woman, 23-year-old Chrystal Helgestad, said she hadn't been using heroin, but did admit to having had a problem with the drug. However, a drug dog did find a small amount of unused heroin. "The drug paraphernalia and the heroin that was found in the van was within arms reach of the children that were in the van with her," said Chief Ostrenga. Those three kids are aged four, three and eleven months.

Police say Helgestad's husband, 24-year-old Andrew Helgestad, showed up and said the heroin belonged to him.

Chrystal was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and contributing to the delinquency of minors.

Andrew was taken to the Dane County Jail--and the case was referred to the Dane County District Attorney's office.

Despite the story's shock factor--police say they've seen others like it.

"It's becoming more and more prevalent, we've had other cases with parents with young children," said Chief Ostrenga. "It's just such an easy drug to get hooked on and it's so affordable and so prevalent right now."

The woman and her children were released to a responsible relative. Chief Ostrenga said the case will be referred to child protective services for a follow up.

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UPDATED Monday, November 21, 2011--5:30p.m.

MONONA--Saturday night someone spotted a woman in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Monona--and she appeared to be shooting heroin.

That person placed an anonymous call to the police department.

When an officer arrived, that officer and a drug dog found a small amount of heroin and drug paraphernalia. Police say it was all within arms reach of the woman's three children. Those kids are ages four, three and eleven months.

Police say the woman is 23-year-old Chrystal Helgestad--and she was cited for possessing drug paraphernalia, as well as contributing to the delinquency of minors.

Police say her husband, 24-year-old Andrew Helgestad showed up and said the heroin was actually his. He was taken to the Dane County Jail--and the case was referred to the Dane County District Attorney's office.

Despite the shock factor of this incident--police say they've seen others like it.. "It's becoming more and more prevalent, we've had other cases with parents with young children," said Chief Walter Ostrenga, of the Monona Police Department. "It's just such an easy drug to get hooked on and it's so affordable and so prevalent right now."

Chief Ostrenga says the mother and her children were turned over to a responsible relative, and that relative came and picked them up. He says this will also be referred to child protective services for a follow-up.

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Posted Monday, November 21, 2011 --- 2:45 p.m.

Press Release from the Monona Police Department:

On Saturday, November 19, 2011, at approximately 10:35 pm, an anonymous caller advised they had seen a female sitting in a vehicle in the underground parking lot of the Wal-Mart Super Store, 2151 Royal Avenue, Monona, WI and they believed the woman was “shooting up heroin”.

The responding officer verified the vehicle information and found the vehicle as described by the caller. In the van with the woman were three young children ages 4, 3 and 11 months.

The investigation revealed the female, identified as 23 year old Chrystal Helgestad of Montello, WI had used heroin while sitting in the van with the children present. Also found was a small amount of unused heroin that was in easy reach of the children. Her husband, identified as 24 year old Andrew Helgestad, returned to the van and admitted that the heroin belonged to him.

The mother was cited and she and the children were released to a responsible party. Andrew was taken into custody and transported to the Dane County jail. Additional charges have been forwarded to the Dane County District Attorney’s office.