Kennewick mother with pending drug case believed to have fled state

A Kennewick mother allegedly found passed out with drugs in her car while her toddler slept in the back seat is believed to have left town against court orders.

Starr C. Link, 26, is charged in Benton County Superior Court with possession of methamphetamine and/or heroin.

She posted $2,000 bail, and was told she must stay in Benton and Franklin counties while awaiting trial Aug. 29.

However, Deputy Prosecutor Julie Long told the Herald she received information that Link has fled the state.

A bail revocation hearing is set for June 22. Long either will ask for a higher amount, or for the judge to order Link held without bail if she is in custody at that time.

Link and Anthony M. Paladin were arrested at 1 a.m. June 1 after Kennewick police got word of a suspicious car parked in the 3100 block of West Clearwater Avenue.

The caller said there were two adults and a child inside, and the adults “appeared to be slumped over,” court documents said.

Officers found the car was running, with Link in the driver’s seat and Paladin in the front passenger seat. Their 2-year-old son was in the back.

Link reportedly was holding a half-eaten burrito while asleep.

Paladin, 29, “had pinpoint pupils, was sweating heavily and appeared to be fading in and out of sleep,” documents said.

Officers looking into the car saw a container with dark tar-like substance on the passenger side, court documents said. As they woke the pair, Paladin tried to hide the container in his waistband.

After he got out of the car, officers also noticed a set of brass knuckles tied to his belt.

A search of the car turned up a glass smoking device with methamphetamine residue, a syringe loaded with a brown substance and a spoon with brown color residue, court documents said.

Police seized a digital scale, narcotic packaging, a black tar substance and a crystal substance wrapped up separately, pain pills, a loaded syringe in Link’s purse, and about 15 needles, all with a brown tar residue, documents said.

They also allegedly found drug paraphernalia in a diaper bag in the back seat.

The substances tested positive for heroin and meth, documents said.

Link reportedly told officers she had used heroin about seven hours before being contacted by law enforcement.

The toddler immediately was turned over to Child Protective Services.

Paladin, also of Kennewick, is charged with possession of heroin. His trial is scheduled Aug. 1. He remains in the Benton County jail on $15,000 bail.

Long said Tuesday that at this time she can’t prove a charge of criminal mistreatment against either parent. That charge requires she show they were not providing the basic necessities of life and that they caused great bodily harm by not giving necessary care.

CPS is doing its own investigation.

This story was originally published June 14, 2016 at 6:45 PM with the headline "Kennewick mother with pending drug case believed to have fled state."