Council Bluffs Police have arrested a teenager for allegedly making three small children smoke marijuana.

Police charged the 16-year-old from Malvern, Iowa with three counts of administering harmful substances and three counts of child endangerment. Police allege the teen smoked marijuana while caring for the children, ages 3, 5 and 8 on January 9th.

Criminal Investigation Division Sgt. Ray Mabbitt says the teen was related to the children and was watching them while their mother was away from their Council Bluffs home. Sgt. Mabbitt says police were alerted to the case after a referral from the Iowa Department of Human Services.

The teen told investigators he did not give the children marijuana and was charged and transported to the Southwest Iowa Juvenile Detention Center.