A 9-year-old boy tearfully reported his mother, who was involved in drug dealing, to the police by handing over a 100-gram bag of methamphetamine that he had found under her nightstand. Kendra Long's son, who hasn't been identified, met the police at his front door in July 2022 while holding his iPad and a sandwich-sized Ziploc bag filled with meth.
The young boy had earlier locked himself in the bathroom at the family's $430,000 Las Vegas home in the Nevada community of Inspirada, which is less than 20 miles from the Las Vegas strip. He then used FaceTime to contact his father, who subsequently called the police to their home.
Brave Son of Criminal Mother
When officers from the Henderson Police Department reached the home, the child told them, "I just saw a couple of bags, pulled it out, and then that's when I knew what it was," newly released bodycam footage, obtained by KLAS, showed.
When officers asked about his knowledge of drugs, the 9-year-old breathlessly confirmed, "Yeah."
After entering the $430,000 Las Vegas home, an officer showed the bag of drugs to the Long but she denied knowing what it contained.
Police confirmed that the bag contained more than 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of meth. Although the incident occurred in July 2022, the police bodycam footage was only released this week.
Following the discovery, Long, the child's mother, was arrested on charges of drug trafficking and child abuse.
She maintained to the police that she was unaware of the drugs in her home. According to court records, she posted $25,000 bail later that day, as reported by local news outlet 8News Now.
The Haul
The video footage shows officers from the Henderson Police Department knocking on the door of the home. Kendra Long, dressed in a white t-shirt and red shorts, opens the door. The officer informs Long, "we are here to check on your son."
Moments later, the boy, wearing a backpack, is shown on the video stepping toward the officers and handing them a plastic bag filled with white powder. The boy, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt with no shoes, clutches his iPad and appears visibly shaken.
The second officer addresses the boy, saying, "Hey, what's going on. I'm Officer Hansen. Are you scared? What's going on man? Do you want to take a seat on the bench?"
Long then tells the officer, "He's had my phone in the bathroom for like an hour," adding, "I have no idea what that is."
The officer says, "He just handed it to me."
Long is then heard saying, "Ok. I don't know. I don't know."
The officer asks, "Is this your child?"
Long responds, "Yes, he is my baby. He's been in the bathroom for an hour, literally an hour."
The officer once again holds up the bag and tells Long, "He was showing Tony this stuff he found in the house."
She replies, "I don't even know what that is."
The officer says, "Well, I don't either."
In the video, the other officer is seen outside the home, trying to console the boy who is sitting on the bench, visibly upset.
Officer Hansen inquires, "What do you find inside the house that made you scared?"
The boy responds, "Drugs."
The officer then asks, "Do you know what drugs look like?"
The boy, sobbing, confirms, "Yeah."
Officer Hansen advises the child to 'take some deep breaths. The boy continues, saying, "I just saw a couple of bags. I was curious. I just pulled it out, and that is when I knew what it was."
The officer asks, "You thought it was drugs like on TV and stuff."
The boy replies, "Yeah."
According to Long's LinkedIn profile, she specializes in property management and is the owner of a real estate brokerage firm. Prosecutors argued that Long violated a family court order and other rules.
Her case spanned multiple courts, including Henderson Justice Court, Las Vegas Justice Court, and Clark County District Court. Long was sentenced to probation, which she violated, leading to her placement in an in-patient drug treatment program.
During the legal proceedings, prosecutors showed text messages that indicated Long was involved in drug dealing from her home while her son was present. One of the texts shown in court read, "Sure I'm home. You want a $100 bag or half."
The boy's parents are divorced, and he is currently under the care of his father.
