By Roger Lanse

On Thursday, June 25, 2020, at about 5:44 p.m., Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to MM 28 on Highway 15 in reference to a caller advising that three kids were walking on the side of the road. Caller told deputies that the kids stated to him and his wife that their mother was driving reckless because she was intoxicated and they told her to stop because of her driving, so she pulled over and they began to walk.

When deputies made contact with the children, according to a police report, they said they were from Mescalero, NM, and came to camp at Lake Roberts. The children stated they were only here for the weekend and didn't have family here.

The children advised that their mother was in a gray SUV about 10 miles north of the location, the report said. A deputy left the scene and drove north to MM 41 but did not find the SUV. However, on his way back south to the location, he observed a vehicle traveling north swerving into the deputy's lane of traffic and the vehicle began honking and flashing its lights. The deputy, the report said, turned around and turned on the unit's emergency lights. After stopping, the female driver, identified as Natasha Little, 36, stepped out and the deputy observed her eyes to be 'blood shot watery' advising she could not find her kids. She began to be emotional and crying, the report stated.

According to the report, Little was placed under arrest for driving under the influence, based on her admission of driving and consuming alcohol, an open container of 'White Claw' inside the vehicle, and her performance during a Standardized Field Sobriety Test. She refused to answer if she would agree to take the breath alcohol test. Little was found to have an active warrant out of Mescalero. The gray Ford EcoSport was towed, and Little was transported to the Grant County Detention Center, where, according to GCDC staff, she remains in custody as of Monday, June 29.

The children who were 10, 12, and 14-years-of-age, according to a blotter report, were placed into CYFD custody and a Statewide Central Intake referral was made.