Earlier this month, Union County Sheriff’s deputies and Union EMS paramedics responded to Ink-182 Tattoos in Indian Trail in order to provide aid to a six-year-old child in cardiac arrest. When deputies arrived at the tattoo shop, they began administering CPR to the child after they found him unresponsive inside of the business. Shortly after deputies began CPR, Union EMS paramedics arrived and administered Naloxone, commonly referred to as Narcan, to the child as the signs and symptoms of this medical emergency were consistent with a narcotics overdose. The child was transported from the scene to a local hospital while paramedics continued to provide critical medical care during the transport. Once at the local hospital, a drug screen reveled that the child had been exposed to and ingested both illicit Fentanyl and Methamphetamine. Over the next several days, the child continued to receive critical medical care and he has since recovered from the narcotics exposure. 

In order to determine the source of the narcotics ingested by the child, Union County Sheriff’s detectives, with the assistance of UCSO crime laboratory personnel, have conducted numerous interviews, executed multiple search warrants, and collected vital evidence relevant to this incident. Earlier this week, detectives obtained warrants for the arrest of the child’s father, 37-year-old Kevin Gordon for Felony Child Abuse and Resist, Delay, and Obstruct. 

Yesterday, UCSO Warrant Squad deputies located and arrested Gordon on the outstanding warrant and transported him to the Union County Jail for processing. Gordon was taken before a local judicial official and received a secured bond of $5,000.00. Gordon no longer remains in the custody of the Union County Jail. 

Sheriff Eddie Cathey adds “The job of any parent is to protect their children and to ensure they are cared for in a safe environment. The failure to do that by the child’s father in this case along with the presence of deadly narcotics in this child’s environment nearly led to the six-year-old victim losing his life. I am thankful that deputies, paramedics, and hospital staff were able to provide critical medical care quickly that ultimately saved this child’s life”. 

UCSO detectives are continuing to investigate this matter along with the assistance of the Union County Department of Social Services. Anyone with information pertaining to this case is asked to call the UCSO Main Office at (704)283-3789 or Union County Crime Stoppers at (704)283-5600. 

Point of contact for this press release is Lt. James Maye (704)506-6843