By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — Deputies seized drugs, thousands of dollars and a gun from a vehicle parked along U.S. Highway 51 in LaPlace after a passerby reported a man was sleeping behind the wheel with a child in the truck, authorities said.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded at 4:50 a.m. Friday to the 4300 block of U.S. Highway 51 after receiving a call about the parked truck.

“The caller reported the man had been sleeping for about three hours with a small child in the truck,” a release said. “When deputies arrived, they saw narcotics in the truck and identified the man as Ladon Cook, 25, of Chad B. Baker Street in Reserve.”

Narcotics detectives and the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services were called to the scene. Family Services officials took custody of the child.

Narcotics detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on the pickup truck.

“Detectives seized 864 grams of marijuana, 272 grams of synthetic marijuana, 18.5 pills of Alprazolam, drug paraphernalia, $12,879.75 in cash, a semi-automatic handgun and ammunition,” a release said.

Cook was arrested and booked for an outstanding traffic attachment, two counts of distribution/manufacture of schedule I controlled substance, distribution/manufacture of schedule IV controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal use of controlled substance in the presence of a juvenile, child desertion and operating a vehicle while license is suspended.

Cook remains in custody in lieu of a $297,150 bond.

Sheriff’s office officials say they are unaware of the relation of the child to Cook, deferring questions concerning the child’s status to Family Services.

Attempts to reach the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Monday and Tuesday morning seeking information were unsuccessful.

He has been arrested nine times in St. John Parish since April 2006, authorities said. Previous charges include shoplifting and drug charges.