BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. (AP) - Authorities and family members said today a man who admitted to throwing his four small children from the Dauphin Island Bridge had a history of drug abuse.

Kam Phengsisomboun is a brother-in-law of 37-year-old Lam Luong's wife, Ngoc Phan. He said today Luong had a crack cocaine habit and had rapidly spent money from an insurance settlement after a car accident. He said the family initially feared Luong had traded the children for drugs.

A family spokesman said Luong and Phan had lived in Hinesville, Georgia for about two years and had moved back to the Bayou La Batre area a few weeks ago.

Luong was arrested on October 19th in Hinesville on a charge of possessing crack cocaine. According to the police report, Luong called police and requested an officer so he could turn himself in for using narcotics.

When an officer arrived, Phan said Luong was bathing the children. When Luong emerged, he eventually produced a pipe and what appeared to be crack cocaine.

Luong was arrested, but the case had not been acted upon by a grand jury. The police report notes that Luong told authorities on November 1st that he had moved.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)