What do you think should be done with mothers like this?

[Woodmonkey]

What do you think should be done with mothers like this?

Coked-Up Mom Gets 9 Months in Jail for Killing Daugther With Breast Milk


A woman accused of causing her infant daughter's death by feeding her breast milk containing cocaine was sentenced Wednesday to nine months behind bars on a reduced charge.

Sara Shelby pleaded guilty last month to a charge of attempted manslaughter in the Aug. 21, 2005 death of 5-month-old Karie Lee Bowman. She originally was charged with involuntary manslaughter, a 15-year felony, but agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors in which she would terminate her parental rights to her other child, a 5-year-old daughter. Shelby voluntarily turned over parental rights months ago, defense attorney William Engemann said Wednesday.

Police said Shelby, a 24-year-old West Branch resident, told them she had used cocaine two or three times the day before her daughter's death.

A medical examiner ruled that the girl died of cocaine intoxication.

Ogemaw County Circuit Judge William Baumgartner also ordered Shelby to serve 18 months probation and pay costs totaling $900. If she pays all of her fines, she will receive credit for one month's jail time, said court coordinator Diane Pelts.

The Source

[las47032]

Shelby's sentence, a slap on the wrist. What a crock!

Until Shelby overcomes her addiciton, she should have no more children.

[Betty Boop]

What were her toxicologies like in the hospital and why was an infant released from the hospital to an addict mom?

In California if a mother drug tests positive then Department of Children's Protective Services intervenes and the baby goes to foster care until the mother is confirmed clean of her addiction. Usually the red flags are an early onset of labor and one that progresses unbelievably quickly or a mother that just doesn't seem to be reacting normally to labor.

Someone dropped the ball big-time here - long before the baby OD'd on her mother's cocaine.

[BrianK]

A plea deal. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm There has to be a flaw in the math of our legal system. The child she is giving up is 5. Her sentence before the plea would have been 15 yrs. lets see 5 plus 15 equals 20. The 15 years would have the same end result as giving up parental rights and not letting a baby killer go free for $900.00?

The Mother [ only because she gave life to a child. Not because she represents what motherhood is] should be confined for the 15 yrs. and hopefully while in prison end up having her ovaries removed for medical reasons.

The judge should be removed from the bench because the ruling is insane.

[BonnieBlue]

Originally Posted by Betty Boop

What were her toxicologies like in the hospital and why was an infant released from the hospital to an addict mom?

In California if a mother drug tests positive then Department of Children's Protective Services intervenes and the baby goes to foster care until the mother is confirmed clean of her addiction. Usually the red flags are an early onset of labor and one that progresses unbelievably quickly or a mother that just doesn't seem to be reacting normally to labor.

Someone dropped the ball big-time here - long before the baby OD'd on her mother's cocaine.

I totally agree! This happens more times than we think........poor babies. This breaks my heart.

[EdNigma]

I am ill.

[conlor]

This is unbelievable! Only a very sheltered fool wouldn't know that whatever you ingest is transferred to the baby through breast feeding! She obviously didn't care.