An Evening Shade couple received probation after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of their child, who tested positive for methamphetamine and other drugs, according to court documents from Sharp County.
Judge Rob Ratton of the Third Judicial Circuit sentenced Margaret Lafaye Ivie, 28, and Brian Ray Ivie, 53, to six years of probation each. Both pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree child endangerment, a Class D felony. As part of a plea agreement, charges of introducing a controlled substance into the body of another person were dismissed.
According to an affidavit, the case began on Aug. 10, 2025, when Special Agent Blair Ables with the Third Judicial Drug Task Force stopped a vehicle for expired tags. During the traffic stop, Ables discovered methamphetamine-related items in the vehicle. A six-year-old child was also found inside the vehicle at the time.
Court documents revealed that Margaret Ivie, who was driving, was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine (less than two grams) and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use. She was identified as the child’s mother.
Two days earlier, on Aug. 8, officials determined that substance abuse by both Margaret and Brian Ivie impaired their ability to care for and protect their child. As a result, the child was removed from their custody. The Department of Human Services later placed the child in foster care and arranged for testing at the Children at Risk Clinic in Little Rock, which revealed the presence of amphetamines, methamphetamine, and THC in the child’s system.
The affidavit stated that investigators believed drug use in the Ivies' home caused the child to ingest or otherwise be exposed to methamphetamine. On Sept. 24, 2025, a judge ruled there was probable cause to arrest both Margaret and Brian Ivie on felony charges of introducing a controlled substance into another person and endangering the welfare of a minor.
The negotiated plea agreement allowed the Ivies to avoid incarceration but placed them under six years of correctional supervision. Additional details regarding their compliance terms within the probation were not disclosed.