Mum charged after toddler eats pills
 

What fucking hope does this poor kid have?


Mum charged after toddler eats pills
By Lisa Miller
July 14, 2003


LINK TO STORY

A WOMAN whose three-year-old daughter swallowed five ecstasy tablets has been charged with endangering the child's life.

In what is believed to be the first case of its kind in New South Wales, the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, will face court later this month charged under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act.

Police will allege the woman, a 28-year-old from Campbelltown, was in a hotel room on the Hume Highway at Bass Hill when the incident occurred on June 27.

It is believed the woman is a sex worker who was entertaining at least one client while her child was in the room.

Detective Chief Inspector James Johnson, of Bankstown police, said the child might have mistaken the ecstasy tablets for lollies.

"The tablets were lying near a candy packet and it appears the young child picked them up and swallowed them," he said.

"She became very ill and was taken to Bankstown Hospital. From there she was rushed to the Children's Hospital at Randwick in a very serious condition. We believe the child started coughing violently and this was brought to the attention of the mother by another person in the room."

The girl has made a full recovery and is now in the care of the Department of Community Services, which is assisting the police investigation of the incident.

Her mother was charged at Maroubra police station later that day.

Insp Johnson said it was the first time something like that had happened in his area.

Under the Act, a person can be charged if they behave in a way which causes the physical injury or sexual abuse of a child.

Actions which cause emotional or psychological harm or which impair the physical development or health of a child also are a criminal offence.

Most cases of child abuse are prosecuted under the Act, but this is believed to be the first time a parent has been charged with allowing their child access to a dangerous drug. The mother faces a maximum penalty of $2200 and a possible jail term if found guilty.

Last week, a 10-month-old boy was taken to hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland, after swallowing a drug believed to have been ecstasy.

Last year the two-year-old daughter of British actors Jude Law and Sadie Frost was taken to hospital after swallowing an ecstasy tablet.

Iris Law was at a children's birthday party at a trendy London nightclub when she picked up the tablet from the floor and put it in her mouth. Doctors managed to remove most of the tablet and she escaped unharmed.

The Daily Telegraph

So where are all the drug addicts that say they aren't hurting anyone other than themselves? http://www.boomspeed.com/sixate/icon_rolleyes.gif

Wanna bet this girl is a crackhead by the time she's 15?

This kid has plenty of hope. Your body can take an amazing amount of abuse - and this kid is only three. She isn't transformed into a drooling, dumb kid cause she swallowed an ecstasy tab.

The important thing is to get her away from the mother, and that seems to be under control.

Thank God children are resilient. The child will be fine; I pray for the mother.

It's so close to where I live and this is only one story.
In Sydneys western suburbs the drug problem is out of control and the "Department of Community services" will be flat out in a few years time trying to save kids like this.

Good thing it wasn't someting even stronger like LSD or Heroin. That would fuck the kid up permanently, either by disabling or killing.

Imagine dangling your keys in front of a baby on extacy, it's head would explode I would think.

Get the kid away from her and never let her go back. It's amazing how reckless people can be when it comes to the safety and well-being of their own children. It's sickening.

Can't believe how little in the way of punishment she would get if guilty. $2200 and possibly a jail term, for letting her kid swallow ecstacy. Her three year old. What the hell? I can't be the only person who sees something majorly fucked up in that.

This person should lose her child, plain and simple.

Goddmannit! You made me laugh out loud! I feel terrible! This was a horrible story. Poor kid.

God damnit, this is so fucking typical. Why do people always feel the need to justify why a child might want to pick something up and put in their mouth? The three your old didn't look at these and go through the thought process "Whats this? Hmmm, Why ... I do believe it is a lollie (Whatever the hell a lollie is) Should I... Should I eat it? It must be candy. Man I have so many thoughts about the oil industry in south america. I wish these fuckers would just listen to me. Oh well, time to eat candy" And it goes deeper then just this. I just get anoyed at people who treat children like little adults. You know, just like us but smaller. I am sorry but a 3 year old does not have the same analytical thought process of you or me. As for the mother I think she should have the child taken from her but nothing else. She is a harm to the child but once you remove the child she is no longer a harm to the child and therefor there is no point in further punishment.