Evidence of drug use in the home led to charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for a Chocowinity woman.

On Wednesday, investigators with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit arrested Tracey Dawn Mayo, 46, of Barnes Drive, after Beaufort County Department of Social Services relayed information that Mayo was giving her 15-year-old son drugs, and allowing him to use them, according to a press release from the drug unit.

“The allegations were that she was giving her child marijuana, heroin and pain pills,” said Lt. Russell Davenport, head of the drug unit.

Davenport said evidence of drug use was found throughout the residence, including in the teen’s room, Mayo’s purse and common areas of the house. Investigators seized marijuana drug paraphernalia, heroin paraphernalia, crack cocaine paraphernalia and prescription pain pill paraphernalia used to inject pain pills into the body using a hypodermic needle, the release stated.

Davenport said it’s common to see people using opioid-based prescription pills in ways they were not intended.

“What we’re seeing is that if somebody is injecting heroin, then they’ll also cook down their pills and inject them,” Davenport said. “They’re smoking their pills, injecting their pills, snorting their pills.”

Mayo was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia for marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia not used for marijuana and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. She was confined at the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $6,000 secured bond.

Davenport said when the drug unit is alerted to cases that may involve children, they become a priority for the team.

“It’s important for us to investigate these types of cases. We’re talking about a child raised in that environment — they don’t have a choice in life,” Davenport said. “When we hear about this type of conduct, this type of behavior, we act pretty quickly.”