A worried mother’s call to 911 led to three arrests in the Wayne Hills neighborhood, once again shining a spotlight on Portsmouth’s relentless battle with drug addiction.
Around noon, a woman contacted police after seeing a disturbing post on social media claiming that her daughter and a man were “back on drugs” and had passed out at the Walmart the day before. Concerned for her daughter’s well-being, she asked officers to check on her.
Police responded to the apartment in question and ended up taking three people into custody. Sky Bently, Lara King, Kodi Sexton were all arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and creating a risk of harm to others.
All three were booked into the Scioto County Jail.
This incident adds to the mounting evidence of a persistent drug crisis in Portsmouth, a city where overdose deaths per capita outpace much larger urban areas. While state grants and local task forces are working to stem the tide, stories like this one underscore how addiction continues to fracture families and strain public safety resources.
Community advocates and officials say cases like this one reflect the need for more accessible treatment, better education, and long-term recovery support—not just arrests.