Belton father charged after toddler tests positive for methamphetamine

A Belton man has been charged with child endangerment after his 19-month-old son tested positive for methamphetamine.

Cass County prosecutors charged 27-year-old Ryan Cody Smith with possession of a controlled substance and two courts of endangering the welfare of a child.

According to documents filed in Cass County Circuit Court, the boy’s mother sought medical help Tuesday because of her son’s strange behavior. She told doctors it was the fourth time something like that had occurred.

He was sucking on his lips, gagging himself with his fingers, picking at his abdomen and hitting and biting his 3-year-old brother.

He also would cry uncontrollably when hearing loud noises.

On Wednesday, doctors at Children’s Mercy Hospital ran tests, and the child tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the documents.

Belton police went to the family home and arrested Smith on an outstanding warrant. During a search they found drug paraphernalia and what appeared to be methamphetamine in two plastic bags.

Smith admitted to detectives that he smoked meth, but said he always was careful to keep it away from his children, according to the documents.

His bond was set at $25,000.

This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Belton father charged after toddler tests positive for methamphetamine."