DAWSON COUNTY - Four members of a Dawsonville family have been arrested and criminally charged after they were found living in harsh conditions and disregarding the safety of two small children.
One also faces numerous drug charges after marijuana plants and non-prescription pills were found at the home located on Shamrock Lane off Hwy. 136, just north of Dawsonville.
Vincent Wayne Breyaert, 45; his wife Stephanie Aylease Breyaert, 47; and their daughter Destiny Aylease Breyaert, 19, were arrested Thursday, Aug. 23 on one count of reckless conduct each for endangering the bodily safety of Destiny’s 4-month-old and two-year-old children by “consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk that their acts would endanger the safety of the children,” Sheriff Jeff Johnson said in an email Monday.
“All subjects are accused of allowing the children to live in the home that contained garbage, clothing, cigarette butts, food items, glass smoking devices, pet feces and used condoms; all of which posed a great health risk,” Johnson said.
Damian Wayne Breyaert, 21, the son of Vincent and Stephanie, was charged with a misdemeanor count of party to a crime due to having knowledge of the reckless conduct but failing to intervene on behalf of the two children.
Vincent Breyaert was also charged with two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, one felony count of the manufacture of marijuana, two counts of drug related objects, one count of cruelty to animals and one count of disorderly house.
“On Aug. 23, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, working in conjunction with the Georgia Governor's Task Force, seized 15 marijuana plants, 29 hydrocodone pills and an unknown substance that has been sent to the GBI for testing and positive identification,” the email from Johnson reads. “This investigation was initiated as part of the task force’s annual eradication fly-over.”
Breyaert is accused of possessing the 15 marijuana plants in the backyard of his home. He is also accused of being in possession of a glass smoking device with residue believed to be methamphetamine and is accused of possessing 29 pills believed to be hydrocodone without having a valid prescription.
He is also accused of possessing multiple glass smoking devices along with scales and other containers with marijuana residue.
Breyaert was also arrested for allegedly willfully neglecting two pet chickens by failing to provide water and food (apart from french fries and cake on the ground) and failing to provide treatment for a large and potentially infected bare spot on one of the chickens, as well as maintaining a disorderly house by encouraging the use of illegal drugs.
As of press time Vincent Breyaert is being held in the Dawson County Detention Center on bond. The others were released on O.R. bond, which means they did not post money but have promised to appear in court.