Deadly breast milk?

[lesliepear]

Got this on another list, via e-mail.
Very weird.


RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Sept. 10) - A woman whose baby overdosed on
methamphetamine contained in the mother's breast milk was convicted of
murder.

During the three-week trial of Amy Leanne Prien, 31, witnesses testified
about her unquenchable appetite for methamphetamine, a highly addictive and
illegal stimulant. Witnesses also said Prien's home was a den for drug users
and dealers.

Her 3-month-old son, Jacob Wesley Smith, was found dead in the home Jan. 19,
2002.

The Riverside County coroner originally labeled the cause of death sudden
infant death syndrome; however, a toxicology report later showed the boy had
overdosed on methamphetamine.

Defense lawyer Stephen Yagman said he would appeal, adding there was no
evidence that the baby ingested the drug through the breast milk.
District Attorney Grover Trask said his office decided to aggressively
prosecute Prien as a deterrent to other drug users.

Prien, who has three other children, was found guilty Monday of
second-degree murder and four counts of child endangerment. She also was
convicted of four counts of misdemeanor drug possession.

She could get up to life in prison when sentenced next month.

Comments

[raisin.livejournal.com]

I heard about that last night. When we get involved w/ mothers w/ babies who are using drugs (the mothers, not the babies!) we don't let them breast feed just because of stuff like this!

[geekmom.livejournal.com]

She probably didn't breastfeed this kid, but because the idea of a formula fed baby that got a tainted bottle or inhaled too much second-hand meth smoke isn't as horrific as the idea of a baby that was fed a lethal does while nursing, that's what everyone hears. Plus, the prosecution wanted the jury to believe it was the breastmilk, because that way they didn't have to prove that she was the one that gave the baby a tainted bottle.

http://www.pe.com/localnews/morenovalley/stories/PE_NEWS_nmamy20.ede7.html

[cheesepuppet.livejournal.com]

I'm glad they're prosecuting her. That is just awful.

[geekmom.livejournal.com]

There's actually very little evidence that she was even still breastfeeding. Witnesses, including the baby's grandfather, say they never saw her breastfeeding, and there was a bottle and formula taken from the scene. The formula bottle disappeared from evidence, which the defense is claiming was deliberate, because the idea that the drugs came through breastmilk is just much more sensational.

The baby probably either died from second hand meth smoke or a tainted bottle of formula. Baby is still dead, either way, but it irritates me to see breastmilk take the wrap for something it didn't do.