A concerned employee of a Nashville business is credited with finding and rescuing a baby from a vehicle after two people inside had overdosed, police said.
The employee of Lewis Country Store, located on Old Hickory Boulevard near Ashland City Highway, called 911 Wednesday night. She reported finding the car by the store’s gas pumps with two people unconscious inside.
CALLER: “Well, I’ve got two people out here in a car that are obviously messed up. I cannot wake, I mean, they’re drugged out or whatever. They’re breathing and stuff, but they will not wake up and the car’s sitting out here at the pump with the flashers on. I got the keys out of the car. It wasn’t even locked.”
An arrest warrant states Stephen Tant, 41, was in the driver’s seat, while Florence Bowden, 32, was passed out next to him. The employee was surprised to find someone else in the backseat of the vehicle.
CALLER: “Oh my God. Hold on, hold on, hold on. There is a baby in the backseat. I did not even see this baby. Oh my God.”
DISPATCHER: “Is the baby OK?”
CALLER: “Yes, yes, yes. He’s asleep. He’s, he’s asleep, yes. I’m gonna take this baby into the store. They didn’t have the doors locked or nothing. Oh my God!
The Nashville Fire Department used Narcan to revive Tant and Bowden, police said. Both were transported to TriStar Skyline Medical Center for treatment.
When Tant was questioned, the warrant alleges he admitted the two ran out of suboxone, so they went to get heroin to “relieve the pain.” The heroin was purchased in Bordeaux, where the two used it, then drove to the gas station, where they were found, according to the police report.
Tant told detectives the baby was in the backseat “the entire time.” Court documents identified Tant and Bowden as the child’s parents.
The two suspects are also charged with child neglect, DUI with a child, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Tant also faced an additional charge of possession of a controlled substance.
Tant was held on a $17,500 bond, while Bowden’s bond was set at $15,000.
