You can only qualify for a public defender if a judge determines you are indigent.  If she is still living at home, a judge may take into account the assets of her family.  It sounds like she is facing felony charges which are incredibly serious and could mean jail time.  Depending on where the drugs were found, all occupants of a vehicle may be charged with possession based on New York's automobile presumption.  However, there may be a number of defenses available to her, such as an illegal search or the fact that she had no knowledge of the drugs, etc.  She should discuss the specific facts surrounding the stop and seizure of the drugs with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.