Published: June 01, 2009 08:33 pm      

Drug task force busts two meth labs

Somerset — The Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force, headquartered in Pulaski County, made two significant methamphetamine lab discoveries last weekend — but not before a toddler died as a result of exposure to chemicals at a Wayne County lab.

On Friday, LCADTF agents arrested Earl David Daulton, 41, of Burnside, charging him with first-degree trafficking in methamphetamine.

Agents had investigated a meth lab at Daulton’s home on Wildwood Drive earlier.

Daulton was arrested at the Burnside residence of Mikkle Hampton during an execution of a search warrant at Hampton’s home.

During the raid, agents seized an active meth lab, chemicals, lab equipment, and methamphetamine.

An investigation into the incident is continuing, and more suspects are expected to be brought before a Pulaski Circuit Court grand jury or a U.S. District Court federal grand jury.

Daulton was lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center on a $25,000 cash bond.

The Burnside Police Department, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, and the Burnside Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Early Sunday morning, LCADTF agents were called to the scene of another meth lab in Wayne County. A search warrant was executed at two Boston Hill Road homes after a 20-month-old child died at the Wayne County Hospital late Saturday from ingesting chemicals at one of the homes.

Kentucky State Police are still investigating the death of the child.

The male child apparently drank caustic chemicals related to the production of methamphetamine at the residence.

The child’s 14-year-old mother and 19-year-old father have been charged with murder and with manufacturing methamphetamine. Kentucky State Police did not release the mother’s name because she is a juvenile. The father has been identified as Bryan Daniels of Monticello, according to a report in the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Four other Monticello residents were charged in connection with the incident. Danny Anderson II, 26, James Hunt, 24, Alisha Dicken, 21, and Wesley Bell, 24, were all charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.

A total of 26 methamphetamine labs have been seized by the LCADTF so far during 2009.