The Department of Justice says they’ve dismantled fewer meth labs in Wisconsin this year than they have in years past, but that doesn’t mean meth has disappeared.

In fact the drug remains a bigger problem in North Central Wisconsin than any where else in the state.

So how bad is the situation? Why is it here? And how many children are ending up caught in the crossfire?

When meth labs arrived here in Northcentral Wisconsin, they brought new dangers into our communities – dangers that include addiction, crime and violence.

Most troubling are meth’s innocent victims – the children, toddlers, and infants living in harm’s way.

“These are little kids that are in the middle of this bad situation,” said David Forsythe, a Special Narcotics Agent with the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

We’ve seen the consequences recently right here in the Wausau area.

In April an infant was found dead in his bassinette after police say his mother Jessica Kasten slept off a meth binge for 22 hours.

Kastens case is still awaiting trial, but police reports show her two other toddlers were found in soiled diapers, hungry and covered in soot.

“They’re in this position – it’s through no fault of their own,” Forsythe said.

If you think meth isn’t putting other little ones in danger in our area – think again.

It hasn’t been Milwaukee’s State Crime Lab that experienced the greatest influx of meth cases over the last ten years, or Madison’s.

“Actually rural, Central and Northern Wisconsin probably got hit the hardest as far as methamphetamine,” Forsythe said.

In fact when meth was at it’s worst in Wisconsin back in 2005, it was Wausau’s crime lab that was dealing with more than 90 percent of the state’s meth cases.

Even though the number has declined since 2005, it is still the Northcentral part of the state seeing the most methamphetamine cases. Last year Wausau’s crime lab handled 75 percent of the state’s cases.

“A lot of times you want to think that the problem’s not around here,” Forsythe said. “Obviously we know the problem is everywhere.”

The narcotics agent says there are a lot reasons it’s such a big problem in here in our area.

One being a number of meth cooks from the West Coast came to the area and taught others how to manufacture it.

Those cooks found a rural setting to be optimal. Because of the chemical smells emitted in the meth making process, a lab would be more easily noticed in an urban area with more and closer neighbors.

So how many children in our area are endangered by meth labs?

It’s hard to say.

“I don’t think I should even guess on that,” Forsythe said. “I think sometimes the numbers are a lot more than we think.”

That’s why they’re asking for your help to save other children caught in the crossfire of methamphetamine.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy reports nearly 1700 children were found in the homes where 5800 meth labs were seized nationwide in 2005.

If you believe meth may be being used, sold or manufactured in your neighborhood and that a child is in danger, do not hesitate to call your local law enforcement agency.

Click on the link below to find out what suspicious activities indicate meth may be in your neighborhood.