Helena - A man is in jail after a meth lab bust Thursday night. His young daughter is with child protective services.

The young girl was taken out of this home for undisclosed reasons before Alabaster police got a tip about the lab Thursday morning.

That tip lead to the arrest of 39 year old James Melton Green Thursday night after a meth lab was found at a home in the 200 hundred block of Lees Cove.

People in Helena pride themselves as living in the city that's ranked the number one place to live in Alabama.

"I've lived here 10 years and have never locked our doors," said Debra Berryhill, a neighbor.

But unusual sights and sounds put neighbors on alert Thursday night.

"I was watching TV, and a Helena police officer came to the door and asked me to stay inside the house," recalled Berryhill.

She assumed there was a shooting across the street, not a meth lab.

"If he did this and endangered his children's lives and all the neighbors lives, it's upsetting," said Berryhill.

An early morning tip on Thursday from an undisclosed person lead police to the Lees Cove home.

The Shelby County Narcotics Task Force found a small inactive meth lab. But they believe it was recently used because hazardous gas was still leaking.

Green was arrested and faces several charges including manufacture of controlled substance and chemical endangerment of his young daughter.

Police have removed her from the home but say she may have been present when the lab was active.

"I had no idea, no idea," said Leanne Dillard, another neighbor.

"The neighbor next to me last night said she never locked her doors. We will now," said Berryhill.

Green is being held on a 1.53 million dollar bond. He faces charges for manufacturing controlled substances, chemical endangerment of a child, possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia.

This is an on-going investigating.

Police say other arrests could be made.

 

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