LEWIS COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A one-year-old child was found in a hotel room with drugs and drug paraphernalia, leading to an ongoing investigation in Lewis County.
On Friday, February 2, 2025, at approximately 10:21 p.m., officers responded to a welfare check at the Holiday Inn behind Burger King in Weston after a 911 caller reported hearing a baby crying in room 300. The caller also stated that a man outside the room was trying to gain entry, claiming the child’s mother might have overdosed inside.
When law enforcement arrived, they identified the man outside as Seth Ruble, who told officers that the child’s mother, Lindsey Riggs, had a history of drug use and may have overdosed in the room. Officers learned that Riggs had fled the scene through a side exit before their arrival.
Upon entering the hotel room, officers found a one-year-old child sitting on the bed. They immediately noticed a white powdery substance on a wooden desk, suspected to be fentanyl powder. A blue fentanyl stamp was later discovered in the bathroom.
A search of the room, with Ruble’s consent, uncovered:
- Burnt foil pieces inside a glasses case, commonly used for drug consumption.
- A plastic bag containing suspected heroin inside a hair dryer bag.
- A hollowed-out pen with drug residue, found in the trash alongside the child’s diaper.
- Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal medication.
Ruble told officers that he and Riggs had checked into the hotel two hours earlier because his father did not approve of Riggs staying at his home. He claimed he left briefly to go to a nearby store, and when he returned, Riggs had locked the deadbolt, preventing him from entering. He denied knowing she had brought drugs into the room.
Ruble also revealed that Riggs had recently overdosed and was treated at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital, prompting an earlier Child Protective Services (CPS) welfare check. He admitted they had broken up a month ago, and he was unaware of where she had been staying.
Despite gaining entry to the hotel room and finding drugs in plain sight, Ruble never called 911 or removed the child from the dangerous environment. Hotel staff confirmed that the room was booked under Ruble’s name.
The incident remains under investigation by Lewis County authorities.
