Bullhead police arrest parents of slain girl on drug charges

KINGMAN, Ariz. — Bullhead City police arrested the mother and stepfather of an 8-year-old girl who was slain six weeks ago on felony drug charges involving meth Wednesday night.

Early Wednesday evening, police spokeswoman Emily Fromelt confirmed officers were at the duplex on the 2400 block of Lakeside Drive. Several hours later, she announced that Tania Ann Grogan, 29, and her husband, Ralph Pat Leroy Folster III, 28, had been arrested. Grogan is the mother of 8-year-old Bella Grogan-Cannella, who went missing and whose body was found last month in a dirt lot.

Narcotics detectives investigated Grogan and Folster in September, police reported, after being told that the pair was dealing meth and heroin. Wednesday evening, SWAT officers went to the home and took Grogan into custody.

Folster refused to leave the house. For two hours he remained inside before going into the building’s attic and getting into the next unit over. Once in that residence, he came outside and was also taken into custody, police spokeswoman Emily Fromelt said. Both homes are being searched.

The couple faces charges of possession of dangerous drugs, possessing drugs for sale and selling drugs. Fromelt said those charges all involved methamphetamine. Grogan faces extra charges of repackaging drugs for sale. They will be booked into the Mohave County Jail, Fromelt said.

James Rector, who faces charges involving the kidnapping and death of the young girl, admitted to smoking meth the day she disappeared, Fromelt said. For supplying meth to Rector, Grogan is being investigated for putting her children in an unsafe environment.

Reporter Annalise Little contributed to this report.