Woman Who Put Methadone In Baby's Pacifier To Stop Him Crying Jailed For Three Years

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Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 08 Jun 2010 - 11:00 PDT

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Susan Taylor, 29, from Edinburgh, Scotland has been jailed for three years for putting methadone - a heroin substitute - in a baby's pacifier (dummy) to stop him crying. Ms. Taylor admitted to a charge of culpably and recklessly causing the baby to ingest methadone, to the danger of his life in November, 2008.

Ms. Taylor said he was a "grumpy" baby. She says she rolled the pacifier in her methadone measuring cup before putting it in his mouth. He sucked on it for about five minutes and then passed out - his faced turning gray and his lips blue.

The 10-week-old child almost died, the court heard. A "huge" quantity of methadone was found in the baby's urine. Advocate depute Morag Jack, prosecuting, told the High Court in Edinburgh that it is too early to tell whether the child will suffer any lasting effects.

The case could not be reported until today because her partner was facing trial - she had admitted the charge in September, 2009.

Lynn Cowan, 28, was also jailed because Ms. Taylor had told her she had given the baby methadone - information she failed to pass on to doctors when they took him to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

The baby cannot be identified for legal reasons. The court was told the baby is no longer in the care of either woman.

Sequence of events:

• Baby cries a lot.
• Taylor gives baby methadone to stop the crying.
• Baby passes out.
• Cowan comes in wondering what is wrong with the baby.
• Taylor tells Cowan what happened.
• They take the baby to hospital, but neither of them tells the doctors about the methadone.
• A urine test reveals tells doctors there is methadone in the baby's system.

What is methadone?

Methadone is a synthetic opiate, commonly used as a legal substitute for heroin in treatment programs for (heroin) drug addiction.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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