Thompson v. State

James Thompson raises several challenges to his convictions of possession of drug paraphernalia and child neglect not causing great bodily harm. We write to address the only issue that merits discussion—whether competent, substantial evidence supports his conviction of child neglect.

On November 21, 2011, a detective noticed Thompson standing on a sidewalk with a , two-year-old child in a location known for drug sales. Over the course of twenty to twenty-five minutes, the detective observed Thompson engage in six hand-to-hand narcotic sales with the child in his arms. A jury ultimately found…