SILVERHILL, Alabama --- The bust of a small meth lab in Silverhill and the subsequent investigation of a stolen vehicle on the property led to a larger drug bust in Lillian last week.

Silverhill Police Chief Kim Wasdin reported at Monday night’s Council meeting that her department was investigating reports of a meth lab operating in Silverhill which led to the arrest of Robertsdale resident Josie Lynn Lee Jones, 25.

According to the Baldwin County Department of Corrections website, Jones was booked into the Baldwin County Corrections Facility on Monday, July 9, on felony charges of theft of property, first degree, and possession of a controlled substance, along with a misdemeanor harassment charge. She was later released on a $7,500 bond.

The investigation of a vehicle reportedly stolen from the property led Silverhill Police and officers from the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department’s Drug Task Force to the home of Fredrick Covert, 39, on County Road 91 in Lillian.

According to a release issued by the BCSO on Monday, upon arrival at the home, police found three minor children alone inside the home. They also reported a “strong chemical smell,” inside the residence.

Investigators removed the children from the residence and Covert, upon his arrival at the home a short time later, consented to a search of the residence.

Inside the home, investigators found several “one pot” labs, precursor chemicals, drug paraphernalia, marijuana and finished methamphetamine. Investigators also found a large amount of trash in the yard they say related to methamphetamine manufacturing.

Investigators said Covert admitted to cooking methamphetamine and, according to the release, told investigators that he was “glad it was over.”

Covert was booked in the Baldwin County Corrections Facility on Wednesday, July 11, and is being held on a bond of over $1 million, facing felony charges of trafficking methamphetamine ($1 million bond), and first degree unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance ($25,000 bond), along with felony chemical endangerment of a child charges, which carries a $10,000 bond, and a misdemeanor charge of second degree unlawful possession of marijuana ($1,000 bond).

The children were released to their mother, according to the release, and the Department of Human Resources was contact about the case.

The vehicle was recovered and charges are also pending against Covert for the vehicle.

“This just goes to prove that when it comes to meth, you don’t care about anything else around you,” Wasdin said. “You don’t care about children. You don’t care about anything except meth.”