Children & Meth
May 2006

In Indiana - An eight-year-old boy was placed in protective custody after taking Meth to school.  A bag containing Meth was traced to the second grader, who told police several stories about how he found the bag.  

In Pennsylvania – Two men were arrested after police found them at a home shortly after the suspects had completed a Meth cook.  The suspects face a range of charges, including felony manufacturing of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession, and felony manufacturing Meth near children.

In California - A 52-year-old woman was arrested for felony possession of Meth; possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony child endangerment for allegedly placing her eight-year old grandchild at risk from her Meth use.

New Mexico – A three-year-old girl is enjoying a second chance at a wonderful life.  Her adopted mother says, “[She] came out of a Meth home.  She tested positive for Meth in her system when she was born.   Her mother and dad were both Meth users and Meth distributors and makers of Meth and she was in that home and that environment.”   When police found the little girl, she was in the arms of her mother who was high on Meth.  She spent the first six months of her life in a Meth saturated environment - the Meth pipe and the gun were right by her swinger.  The little girl’s adoptive mother hopes telling this story will inspire others to put aside their fears and adopt Meth babies.

In West Virginia – Two children were placed with their grandfather after police arrested their parents for manufacturing Meth while the youngsters were present.

In Illinois - A six-year-old boy was found in a shed with his mother's boyfriend while the man was cooking Meth.  The boy's one-year-old brother was found inside the home along with drug paraphernalia.  The boys are now living with their father.  The boyfriend faces up to 30-years in prison; the children's mother was given a five-year prison sentence.

In Nevada - A 13-year-old girl claims a couple forced her to snort Meth and watched as she did it.  The two people were arrested and charged with child endangerment.  They were released from jail on their own recognizance.

In California - The impact of Meth use on newborns and children is staggering.  In one hospital in Sacramento, 500 babies are born addicted to Meth every year.  Nearly half the children in the intensive care ward are Meth babies. In Yolo County, 75 percent of all drug cases are Meth-related. Only two children in 10 are placed back with their parents. Half of those kids end up back in the system. Read the entire story here.