Underage drinking suspects appear in court

A number of people made their first court appearances Wednesday on charges related to an alleged underage drinking party discovered in Bell Buckle last month.

Continuances were granted for five people until Feb. 17:

* Heather D. Barrett, 36 of Liberty Pike, Bell Buckle.

* Joshua Clanton, age unavailable, Liberty Pike, Bell Buckle.

* Joshua Molder, 18, St. Charles Place, Shelbyville.

* Cody Tawwater, 18, Bates Street, Shelbyville

* Megan F. McBee, 18, address unavailable.

Barrett, who did not appear in court because of injuries suffered in an automobile accident last month, faces nine counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, nine counts of child abuse and neglect and 10 counts of providing alcohol to minors.

Clanton faces 10 counts of providing alcohol to minors, 18 counts of child abuse and neglect and one count of possession of schedule VI.

Molder is charged with three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Tawwater faces a count of illegal consumption and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, while McBee is charged with a single charge of illegal consumption of alcohol.

According to Sgt. Nikia Elliott of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, on Dec. 12, authorities received a call from a concerned mother about her underage son.

The juvenile was late getting home and the mother went looking for him, finding him at the home of Barrett and Clanton on Liberty Pike.

"Apparently, the son would not come outside and they wouldn't let the parent inside, so that's why she called us," Elliott said.

Elliott said when authorities entered the house, they spoke to several underaged people there who had been drinking, and also spoke to Barrett, owner of the home and Clanton, her boyfriend.

According to some of the underage party participants, Barrett and Clanton had provided the alcohol to them and that's when the arrests were made.

Clanton was in custody on Wednesday and the other persons charged were free on bond.