ONE ARRESTED AFTER METH LAB DISCOVERY
Three week old infant lived in residence

By Jon Mayhew

NEWTON -- Authorities have arrested a Newton man in connection with a methamphetamine lab discovered Tuesday.

Authorities charged Brenton Michael Reinhardt, 406 E. 20th Street, Newton, with felony possession of an immediate precursor chemical with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine.

Police are still looking for Amber Leann Waters and Juanita Sue Abrams. As of Friday evening, neither woman had been located.

Narcotics investigators with Newton Police, along with an SBI special agent, received a tip that a clandestine methamphetamine lab was operating at Reinhardt's residence.

When authorities arrived, they found items outside the residence which were consistent with an operational meth lab.

Upon making contact with the residents, they discovered one of the residents inside the home was a three-week-old infant.

Investigators questioned the residents and called the Catawba County Sheriff's Office, which provided additional investigative support.

Child Protective Services with the Catawba County Dept of Social Services was contacted in reference to the infant child.

Once authorities received a search warrant to enter the residence, they discovered the lab.

The SBI Clandestine Laboratory Response Team arrived at the residence to begin processing the clandestine lab. The response team, once inside the residence, discovered numerous items consistent with a red phosphorous meth lab.

Once the lab had been thoroughly processed, the hazardous waste disposal unit was contacted. The disposal unit removed approximately 50 lbs of hazardous waste associated with the methamphetamine production lab.

The infant child was taken into custody by Child Protective Services (DSS).