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Responding to a request from the Louisiana Division of Probation and Parole on Thursday, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives responded to a motel room south of Bogalusa, according to WPSO Chief Deputy Mike Haley.

Once inside the room, officers discovered Brandon Michael Miller, 30 a resident of West 10th Street in Bogalusa; Santanna Reshee Ratley, 20, a resident of Zack Magee Road in Franklinton; and a 3-month-old child, Haley said.

Miller was arrested and booked into the Washington Parish Jail on charges of possession of heroin, possession with intent to distribute other illegal drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal use of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a child. Haley said this was Miller’s eighth recorded arrest in Washington Parish.

In 2009, he was charged with possession of illegal drugs, driving under suspension and failure to honor a written promise. In 2010, he was arrested for two counts of failure to appear in court and driving without a license. In 2011, he was charged with two counts of resisting an officer and four counts of failure to appear in court. His next arrest was in 2012 on a hold from the Division of Probation and Parole and failure to honor a written promise. He was arrested again in 2014 on another hold from Probation and Parole.

In 2017, Miller was arrested for violating the terms of his probation and two counts of failure to honor a written promise. Later in 2017, he was arrested on 19 charges, including burglary of an inhabited dwelling, criminal conspiracy, eight counts of theft of a firearm, eight counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and theft.

Ratley was booked into the Washington Parish Jail on charges of possession of illegal drugs, possession of controlled dangerous substances in the presence of a child and improper supervision of a minor. Haley said there is no jail record of her being previously incarcerated in Washington Parish.

At the direction of a 22nd Judicial District Court Judge, custody of the child was turned over to an investigator from the Department of Children and Family Services who responded to the scene, Haley said.

“What a sad story,” Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal said. “It is inconceivable that a mother would bring a 3-month-old child into such an environment. I am so grateful for the assistance from the Division of Probation and Parole and the Department of Children and Family Services. Let’s hope and pray this child will be kept safe from future harm. I extend my sincere appreciation to all officers and agencies which participated in these arrests and provided a safe harbor for this child.”