The Northwest Star – Mum charged after baby ‘ingested ice’

31 August 2016 – Author: Ava Benny-Morrison – Source: The Northwest Star

An Illawarra mother has been charged with abandoning a child after her 21-month-old baby found her alleged stash of the drug ice and ate it. 

Despite digesting enough of the destructive drug to have fatal consequences, the little boy miraculously survived and is today in the care of the Department of Families and Community Services.

His mother, a 27-year-old from Koonawarra who cannot be named for legal reasons, called an ambulance in a panic on January 25 after finding her son having seizures in her bedroom. 

It is alleged the mother put her son down in her bedroom the night before while she stayed out in the lounge room. 

At some point during the night or morning, the baby boy discovered the drug ice in his mother’s bedroom and ate it. 

Tests carried out at Wollongong Hospital revealed the boy tested positive to having methamphetamine in his system and a red flag was raised with police. 

It is understood after 10 hours in hospital, the boy had .18 milligrams per litre worth of the drug in his body. 

Medical staff determined he had digested a substantial amount that was likely to cause “serious injury or death”. 

Child Abuse Squad detectives later searched the woman’s home and allegedly found ice, cannabis, prescription drugs and a pipe. 

Eight months after the boy was hospitalised, his mother was issued with a court attendance notice for several offences.

She is due to face Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday on charges of abandoning or exposing a child under seven, cause danger of death and drug possession.