Press Release Stone County Sheriff's Department

Sheriff Lance Bonds

01-06-2022

                According to Chief Deputy Dammon McGilton with the Stone County Sheriff's Department, he along with other investigators and deputies investigated a child maltreatment case on January 2, 2022.  On January 2, 2022, at approximately 3:44 a.m., Deputies Trevor Leonard and Brian Rose responded to a call of a child sitting in the traffic lane of Highway 14 East near St. James.  The autistic child had health issues and had nothing on but a shirt and a diaper.  The temperature was 21 degrees and snowing.  Deputies called for an ambulance and the child was transported to the Stone County Medical Center.  The child was treated and later released into Department of Children and Family Services custody. 

                Deputies were familiar with the family and responded to the residence.  This was the third incident involving this child.  Upon arrival to the residence, deputies observed the front door standing open and just inside the front door, Phillip KRONK and Emma KRONK were lying on a mattress in the floor.  It took a while for deputies to awaken them.  After further investigation, they were both under the influence of narcotics and alcohol.  Marijuana was also recovered at that time.  Both EMMA and Phillip KRONK were taken into custody and transported to the Stone County Detention Center. 

                On January 3, 2022, the investigation continued.  Chief Deputy McGilton released that the Sheriff's Department, Crimes Against Children, DHS, and a member of the 16th DTF went to the residence with a search warrant for narcotics and child maltreatment.  Investigators located numerous items of marijuana and methamphetamine drug paraphernalia. 

                On January 5, 2022, arrest warrants were issued and signed by Circuit Judge Tim Weaver for Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent Person in the First Degree, a Class D Felony; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with the Purpose to Use Crystal Meth First Offense, a Class A Misdemeanor; and Possession of Marijuana, a Class A Misdemeanor.  Bond was set at $10, 000.00 each.  The case is still under investigation.