The Webster County Courthouse opened for business in 1941. She shows her age often in a second-floor bathroom after a good rain.

“The water would back up out of the toilet and the sink when it rained, which is a strange phenomenon, since we're talking about flooding,” said County Commissioner Lyndall Fraker.

"We thought there was just rust and buildup in the pipes,” he said. "Over the years, they've tried numerous snakes and (chemicals).”

After more than a few spills, and a few attempts at declogging, the county finally found the culprit.

"We determined after snaking through the vent upstairs that something was lodged."

Caught in the pipes above the first floor ceiling, was the unexpected root of their problems. Next to a joint in a pipe, they found Sippy cups -- cups from which many babies grew up guzzling -- caused the blockage.

"You don't want to know what my reaction was. This can't be good!" said Sheriff Roye Cole.

To solve this crime, it was back to the roof.

"There were a lot of different possibilities, including people throwing them over the roof to sneak in drugs. I don't really think that's the case,” said Cole. “It's a long throw over the fence. And nobody's allowed to come up here without security."

Instead, Cole has a different theory.

"If somebody wanted to come out in the past and had kids that were out playing and needed a place to play while their parents were getting a report,” he said. "It's not normal practice but it's more likely than the alternatives."

Whatever happened, the county doesn't really care; now they have a toilet that works, and a story to tell.

"This is one story among many, yes,” said Cole.
----

Fraker says, although they may have fixed this problem, it is outgrowing the courthouse. The Commission is in the early stages of developing a new jail - a project they hope do without raising taxes.