Children, heroin, cash taken in Gary raid, authorities say

GARY | Eight children were removed from a home after police arrested two women on heroin dealing charges, officials said.

Ebony Whatley and Lafa Goodlove were arrested Thursday morning after Lake County police raided the home in which they were living, Sheriff John Buncich said.

Officers began an investigation of the activities at the home at 5230 W. Fourth Place after someone called a tip hotline, Buncich said.

Undercover officers made a few drug buys, and a search warrant was executed about 6 a.m. Thursday, police said. Officers found about 3.1 grams of heroin and about $2,000 in the home.

Whatley, 29, was arrested and her children and a relative's child were taken into the custody of the Indiana Department of Child Services, Buncich said.

The children ranged in ages from 3 to 10 years old, police said.

Goodlove, 20, is pregnant and none of the children in the home are believed to be hers, he said.

"It's just a sad situation that those kids were living in a heroin-distribution house," he said.

Police encourage anyone with any tips to call the anonymous tip hotline at (800) 750-2746.