I've joined a news service on-line that sends me stories for topics I choose.
Of course I chose breastfeeding. Here is what I received today. Any
comments?
Warmly,
Sheila Angalet
LLL-Edison, NJ
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TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - A mother's drug-laden milk contributed to
her baby daughter's death, according to police who arrested her and
the father on first-degree murder charges.
Amoret Powell, 24, and Robin Johnson, 33, were being held today
in the July 11 death of 7-week-old Eve Powell.
An autopsy showed she died of oxygen deprivation. Toxicology
test results were pending, but police said her mother's milk
probably was laced with heroin and methadone because of Ms.
Powell's addiction.
Police found about 100 needles, some containing traces of blood
and heroin, when they searched the family's home while the baby was
in the hospital, according to records The Arizona Daily Star
obtained from the state Child Protective Services agency.
The records also show that although both parents denied using
illegal drugs when interviewed by detectives, police were told by a
CPS worker that the child was getting heroin and methadone through
breast feeding.
Methadone is used to help addicts get off heroin. The parents
told CPS they both usually used heroin and methadone daily, and the
child was born addicted to methadone, according to the CPS records.
The Star said CPS knew the parents had previous substance abuse
problems but returned custody of their two older children to them
about a year ago ``when it appeared the parents had been
successfully rehabilitated,'' the records show.
Those children, age 2 and 6, were placed in CPS custody after
the infant's death.
Nearly three years ago, a jury in Bakersfield, Calif.,
deadlocked 11-1 in favor of conviction in the case of a mother
charged with murder for allegedly poisoning her son with drug-laced
breast milk. She was found guilty of child endangerment instead.
AP-NY-07-31-97 1150EDT
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