Norwalk mother arrested for allegedly huffing in front of her kids at playground

NORWALK, Ohio - A trip to a Norwalk park ended with a mother in jail and her children taken away from her after police said the mom was huffing.

"The 4-year-old girl said Mommy kept putting dust in her nose and throwing up," said Norwalk Police Chief Dave Light.

Light said Michelle Hall was huffing or inhaling a can of "blow off" computer keyboard cleaner to get high in her car.

"She vomited on herself and the side of the car and looked like she urinated herself," said Light.

Police said her 8-month-old son was in the back seat and her other two small children were just a few feet away near some playground equipment.

A family at the Norwalk reservoir inside the Veteran's Lake Memorial Park saw what was happening and called 911.

Light said when they arrived at the reservoir, Hall was in her front seat with the can up to her face.

"The can was cold to the touch and it was icy from her inhaling the contents," he said.

Officers said Light couldn't talk or communicate and her son was crying.

"The officers got the child out of the back car seat. He was sweating and sweated through his clothes," he said.

Police reports showed Hall refused an ambulance and was taken to jail. The children are in the care of other family members.

Light said he hopes this is the wake-up call the 30-year-old needs to get some help.

"God knows what would have happened if she would have gotten in her car and drove off with the kids," he said.

Hall pleaded no contest to child endangering and abusing harmful intoxicant charges. She remains in the Huron County Jail.

Data released by SAMHSA or the The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows that more than one million adults over age 18 used inhalants in 20-10.

That's more than the number of adults who used crack cocaine, L-S-D, heroin or PCP.