St. Albans , Kanawha County , West Virginia

A 13-year-old boy is accused of not only abusing prescription drugs, police say he stole the medication from his mom and then burglarized a neighbor.

It happened along Route 60 outside of St. Albans. Police say Saturday night the boy's mom called police saying her Zanex had been stolen, then just a little while later, neighbors found him out back hiding in their tomato garden. They called police, but the boy ran. Deputies say he was extremely high from the prescription pills, so much so, that he fell into a creek and cut his leg while running away. He had to be taken to the hospital for his leg injury.

Police say before he hid in the tomato patch, he was in the neighbor's basement stealing things. Those neighbors say it's disappointing because they always tried to help the boy.

Police say his mom told them when she reported her pills missing that her 13-year-old was the prime suspect. Investigators say it's unusual to see prescription pill abuse with someone so young, he's not even old enough for high school.

"Thirteen years old is certainly a very young age to start abusing anything, especially prescription medications," Lt. Sean Crosier with the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office says.

Another neighbor tells Eyewitness News the boy is troubled and he thinks the arrest will be good for him to have the chance to get help.

Once the boy is released from the hospital, he will be charged with larceny for the pills and burglary for allegedly breaking into the basement.

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