Mum Dipped Baby's Dummy In Methadone

A woman who nearly killed her baby by dipping his dummy in the heroin substitute methadone has been jailed for three years

Susan Taylor, 29, tried to calm the 10-week-old boy by rubbing the dummy in a measuring cup used for the drug, a court heard.

When paramedics arrived at the scene the baby had vomit on his face, his lips were blue and his face was grey.

Taylor was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on September 11 last year.

But the judge, Lord Bannatyne, banned reporting of the case at the time because her partner, Lynn Cowan, also faced court in connection with the child.

Cowan, 28, was jailed for 10 months at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after she admitted failing to tell medics that the boy had been given methadone.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, almost died.

Taylor's jail term was to follow a 26-month sentence she was already serving at Cornton Vale for assaulting and robbing a 66-year-old woman

Sentencing Taylor last year, Lord Bannatyne said: "It is my view that there's a high degree of recklessness and culpability involved in the course of this offence.

"There was in addition a real danger to the life of this child.

"I note that you have what can only be described as a very serious and bad record."

The court heard that Taylor, who was prescribed the drug, called emergency services when she found the boy was not breathing on Saturday November 22 2008.

Paramedics said Taylor appeared "disinterested" when they arrived at the Edinburgh flat.

Advocate Depute Morag Jack, prosecuting, said: "They immediately noticed that he did not appear to be breathing apart from a single gasp for air.

"He was cold to touch, however there was a pulse."

The two paramedics gave the baby oxygen but he suffered a seizure and continued to fit throughout the journey to hospital.

The court heard that samples from the baby showed "dangerous" levels of the drug.

The baby had no "malicious injuries" on him.

Taylor admitted to drugs workers that she had dipped the dummy into a measuring cup used for methadone on two occasions.

She admitted culpably and recklessly causing the baby to ingest methadone to the danger of his life.

Taylor's defence agent called for leniency and added: "It is obvious to me that she is shocked by the effects of what she did and that she did it without realising just how serious it was."

I was just reading that in the paper sick dirty bastards some people for you.

Completely wrong but is it any different to those whose mothers dip them in alcohol?

That said was the baby a born addict, if mum was on methadone already?

Gris Gris wrote:

Completely wrong but is it any different to those whose mothers dip them in alcohol?

Well, yes....they're both totally wrong but Methadone can kill an adult in one dose, if the dummy had been dipped in lager for eg (still wrong obviously), i very much doubt the baby would be, to quote:

"the baby had vomit on his face, his lips were blue and his face was
grey."
"They immediately noticed that he did not appear to be breathing apart
from a single gasp for air.

"He was cold to touch, however there
was a pulse."

You would have thought more involvment and checks were made to those who are addicts and have children. Obvioulsy not until it is too late.

Common sense has very much died and faded away in some people.