(MOBILE, Ala. ) January 3 - Six children have been taken out of their home after police say their parents were running a meth lab inside. Police responded to a house Friday morning in the 2400 block of McLaughlin drive in Mobile, after neighbors called them reporting a foul odor coming from the house. As NBC 15 news found out---neighbors have been smelling the foul odor for months.Neighbors are in shock….after police say a Mobile family was running a meth lab in their own home. "I smelled a really bad smell but I mean I would’ve never dreamed these people were doing what they were doing in that house." Neighbors say it smelled like rubber or plastic burning. NBC 15 talked to a neighbor who didn't want us to show her face out of concern for her safety.
"They were always using the chimney, burning wood." She says she thought the family was trying to same money through these hard economic times, but thought it was strange when they'd be burning wood...when it wasn't even cold outside. "Even on hot days it was always going...and I would even clean my yard and throw branches over there." Just trying to help and be a friendly neighbor.
She says she's met the family and they seem like very nice people. "and then when I found out they had a meth lab next door, it just really upset me especially when I found out children were involved too." Police say six children between the ages of two and thirteen were also in the house at the time.
They say the children have been placed with other family members in the meantime. Neighbors say the family was always home and didn't seem to have jobs. "People getting work now a days, it's hard so I imagine people have to do whatever it takes."
According to police, the five people arrested and charged were Neal Weaver, Veronica Weaver, Mitchell Weaver, Elizabeth Weaver- Byrd and Jane Pipken. Mobile police are still investigating the incident.
