South Florida woman arrested after marijuana found in child's lunchbox, BSO says

Tasha Sims tells deputy that she got scared, hid marijuana in lunchbox

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida woman was arrested Wednesday after a deputy found marijuana in her niece's lunchbox during a traffic stop, according to a Broward Sheriff's Office report.

Tasha Sims, 33, faces charges of child neglect, possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license.

According to the arrest report, Sims was stopped by a deputy in Pompano Beach because the registered owner of the car she was driving didn't have a valid license.

The arresting deputy noticed that Sims' niece was sitting in the front passenger seat without a seatbelt, eating something out of a pink lunchbox.

According to the report, the deputy noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car and asked Sims if she had anything illegal inside.

"I got some (expletive) in the car," Sims said, according to the report.

When the deputy asked her where he could find it, she told him it was in her child's lunchbox, the report said.

The deputy found a metal grinder with a small amount of marijuana inside the lunchbox, the report said.

Sims told the deputy that she knew her license was suspended and got scared when he pulled her over, so she put it in her niece's lunchbox and told her not to touch it, the report said.

"She admitted that she messed up and that it was wrong," the deputy wrote.

Sims was all smiles as she walked out of jail Thursday night after being released on bond.

"Hi. How are you?" Sims told Local 10 News reporter Andrew Perez. "I'm fine, thank you. Have a great day."

Sims appeared to enjoy being in front of the Local 10 News camera, but she didn't have much to say about the allegation.

"Did you hide pot in a litte girl's lunchbox?" Perez asked.

"Are we done?" Sims answered.

The Department of Children and Families was notified, and the girl was released to her mother.


About the Author:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.