Toddler Swallows Meth | ABC30 Fresno | abc30.com

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By ABC30

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Fresno, CA Investigators believe the 15-month-old swallowed meth inside his family's home in Orange Cove. Outside, a woman identified herself as Griselda ...the aunt of the 16-year-old mother. Griselda said, "She doesn't want to answer any questions." The reporter asked, "How is the child doing?" Griselda said, "I don't want to be recorded. I refuse."

Investigators searched the home after the teenage mother brought him to Visalia's Kaweah Delta Hospital on May 7. The Fresno County Sheriff's Department is investigating. Deputy Chris Curtice said, "She failed to tell hospital staff there that the child had ingested methamphetamine. Luckily there they were able to determine the child had meth in his system."

According to a search warrant filed in court, the mother told police the meth belonged to her uncle and the drug was on a coffee table. The document states: "… [the meth] was in a rock form and when they got [it] out of the child's mouth he had chewed it down to powder." The warrant also states the boy received muscle damage to his heart.

Deputy Curtice said, "We don't know how much it was. All we can go by is the symptoms that the hospital staff told us about. It was apparent he ingested a decent amount of meth."

We are not revealing the mother's identity because she is a minor. An investigator said CPS took the child. But a family member said the boy is at home with his mother and he is doing fine. At this point, the DA's office has not filed charges, and no arrests have been made.