Mother jailed after baby tests positive for meth

A Carson City mother remained jailed this morning after her 1-year-old daughter tested positive for methamphetamine last week, according to police.

Charlene Marie Benitez, 22, of Carson City, was booked into the Carson City Jail Friday on suspicion of felony allowing child to be present where controlled substances are being used and child abuse causing physical and mental harm.

According to the report, Benitez and took her daughter to the emergency room about 10 p.m. Thursday.

A subsequent test revealed "the infant had methamphetamine in her system," according to the arrest report.

The mother allegedly told police that earlier in the day she's smoked methamphetamine with a male friend as her daughter slept upstairs. Benitez then went to lay down with her daughter, and after a nap, took a shower about 4:30 p.m. while the baby was awake in the living room.

At 9:30 p.m., according to reports, Benitez called her sister and said her daughter was "acting weird." The sister drove the two to the hospital.

Benitez was arrested the next morning at 10:30 a.m.

The child's condition was not noted.

Benitez's bail was set at $50,000.