Two charged after Iowa City police find drugs near baby

Two people face drug and child endangerment charges after Iowa City police said they found drugs near a two-month-old baby.

Police were called to 2401 Hwy 6 East No. 2406 just after 5 p.m. Saturday and found Fanta T. Mallard, who was reluctant to open the apartment door more than a  few inches. An officer noticed the odor of burnt marijuana. Mallard told police marijuana had been smoked in the apartment “a while ago,” and later admitted she smoked marijuana before driving with her infant son in the car.

The infant was laying on a mattress about six feet from several baggies of crack cocaine and about two feet from marijuana on the floor.

Police found Elvis Bynum, Jr., in the bathroom avoiding officers. He admitted to purchasing the crack cocaine for $10 a bag at Dolphin Lakepoint Enclave apartments and told police he had been smoking crack all day. Bynum was sweating profusely, had dilated pupils, and was obviously under the influence of narcotics. Police also discovered that Bynum was a registered sex offender and had failed to update his address on the Iowa sex offender registry.

Mallard, 20, of 3302 Washington St., Iowa City, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and child endangerment.

Bynum, 21, of Bellwood, Ill, was charged with a controlled substance violation, possession of a controlled substance, gathering for the use of drugs, endangerment, and failure to register as a sex offender.

The child was taken into emergency custody by the Iowa Department of Human Services.