Rocky Mount father charged after 9-month-old exposed to drugs in hotel room

Police were called to UNC Health Nash Emergency Care Center on Wednesday afternoon, where Stuart Murphy, 27, showed up with his son unresponsive.

"Unfortunately in this case it appears a child had ingested something and put them in a situation where they were unresponsive and taken to the hospital," Rocky Mount Chief of Police Robert Hassell said.

At the Red Carpet Inn at 6953 N.C. Highway 4 in Battleboro, where police said the baby was exposed, officers found evidence of heroin possession and drug paraphernalia.

Surveillance video from the inn shows Murphy carrying a child to car then quickly driving off.

Investigators are not sure what type of substance the baby ate. He was in stable condition on Thursday.

WRAL News reached out to the mother of the boy after Murphy's arrest. She declined to comment.

Hassell said, "We do all we can to make sure the services that are out here for individuals who may be suffering from drug use or alcohol abuse to get the help they need, but it also reminds us that we need to do our part to make sure we keep our families safe from these types of substances that may be within the home or wherever they may be."

Murphy was charged with felony child abuse and was taken to the Nash County Jail under a $50,000 secured bond.