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MySonNick1
08-22-2002, 09:59 AM
I hope I can put it on here like this. If not please let me know and I will delete it.

Brandy



CPS Admits to Missing Red Flags
08/21/2002

By 3TV and azfamily.com staff


It's a heartbreaking story of a 10-day-old baby who is dead allegedly from exposure to crack cocaine smoke from her addicted mother and grandmother.

The two women are now in jail and an infant, Anndreah Robertson, is in a cemetery. Her mother, Demitres Robertson, could get the death penalty. Anndreah's grandmother, Lillian Butler, faces a lengthy prison term. Both will have public defenders represent them. The question remains now, who protected Andreeah for the 10 days that she lived?

The girl's mother was supposed to protect her, but police say she didn't. Nor, according to investigators, did her grandmother.

Solomon Butler, the baby's step-grandfather, reportedly told police that Lillian and Demitres were smoking large quantities of crack cocaine in front of the baby.

Because of her mother's drug use, Anndreah was born addicted to cocaine. Three days later, she was released to her gradmother's care. At the time of Anndreah's release from the hospital, a pediatrician resident and the director of REACH (Research and Education for Addicted Children's Health) reportedly warned Demitres about the dangers of cocaine. Both women also allegedly told Demitres that if Anndreah was exposed to cocaine again, she would die, according to court paperwork.

When the child was released to her mother, the Butler household was under investigation by Child Protective Services because of the potential harm to Anndreah's brothers, 2-year-old Antoine and 1-year-old Anthony.

The children were not removed because CPS was still in the midst of its investigation. In fact, a CPS social worker visited the Butlers' apartment just days before the baby died.

Three days after the visit, Anndreah was dead. CPS admits there were red flags that were missed. One of those flags was Butler's crack cocaine addiction.

CPS will have an external committee review the case. The panel will determine what was done correctly and what was not. It will also recommend policy changes, and if necessary, new legislation. Ironically, CPS said courts have determined that a woman using cocaine during pregnancy does not constitute child abuse.

Family members say Demitres is learning disabled and her surviving two children are now in the care of a family member.

DOOFIS
08-22-2002, 10:22 AM
If they knew the mother was addicted why did they let the baby go home? When I had my son I was told if they found pot in his urine (I smoked before I found out I was pregnant) that he would be taken away from me.

DeeTee
08-22-2002, 08:05 PM
How much bigger could the red flag have been??????? I hope the "family member" that is taking care of the other 2 children does a better job! I would be leary giving the children to any family member at this point. How sad.............

ajksmom
08-22-2002, 08:17 PM
This is terrible. I agree if the child was born addicted they should have never sent her home. But if this is the case
CPS said courts have determined that a woman using cocaine during pregnancy does not constitute child abuse. I guess they really had no reason to keep her.

If drug abuse during pregnancy is not considered child abuse then some laws need to be changed. How could delivering a baby addicted to drugs not be abuse. It would be abuse if she was letting the 1 & 2 year olds smoke it, and since everything that enters a pregnant mothers body ultimetly ends up in the developing baby looks like to me it would be the same concept.

I don't understand why people knowingly put their babies (inside her body or out) in danger. With my first daughter Amanda I got drunk before I knew or even suspected that I was pregnant, only once but it haunted me the whole time I was pregnant.:( :(

stresseater
08-22-2002, 11:09 PM
The reason it is not considered child abuse to drink/do drugs while pregnant is the child inside can not be considered "life" if it were it would be against the law to abort the child. I don't agree but that's just mho

janelle
08-22-2002, 11:59 PM
kids=stress if right. It's not considered a baby until it is born. If the parents want it it's a baby, if the parents don't want it it just so much tissue. And we wonder why our kids are so mixed up.

smeans
08-23-2002, 05:04 AM
Originally posted by janelle
kids=stress if right. It's not considered a baby until it is born. If the parents want it it's a baby, if the parents don't want it it just so much tissue. And we wonder why our kids are so mixed up.

well said

angelinwaiting
08-23-2002, 05:13 AM
this just breaks my heart....both the Mom and the Grandmom(and I use those 2 words lightly)should be put to death....It is the same as any child abuse case IMO:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

mrs.john
08-23-2002, 07:00 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't they charging people with fetal homicide now? Like if someone causes a car accident by drunk driving, reckless op, ect. and a pregnant woman involved loses her baby? Why can't they charge a woman who delivers a crack addicted baby with attempted murder? It's not like she didn't have a clue that she was endangering her baby while she was pregnant.

And don't flame me for this, but why did the family make it a point that she is learning disabled? Do they think that that makes it okay? Or is that a sympathy tactic?

We have so many friends and relatives that have gone thru infertility, so this kind of stuff just burns me up:mad:

Willow
08-23-2002, 07:50 AM
If a fetus has a heartbeat how can that not be considered life? :confused:

ajksmom
08-23-2002, 07:08 PM
mrs. john
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't they charging people with fetal homicide now? Like if someone causes a car accident by drunk driving, reckless op, ect. and a pregnant woman involved loses her baby? Why can't they charge a woman who delivers a crack addicted baby with attempted murder? It's not like she didn't have a clue that she was endangering her baby while she was pregnant.

And don't flame me for this, but why did the family make it a point that she is learning disabled? Do they think that that makes it okay? Or is that a sympathy tactic?

WELL SAID

mrs.john
08-23-2002, 07:24 PM
Originally posted by ajksmom
mrs. john
WELL SAID

Thank you--that kind of stuff really ticks me off and I have a PMS thing going on, so that tends to make me a little ummmm, outspoken:eek:

kimp67
08-23-2002, 07:29 PM
I think the laws differ from state to state. I hope she or her mother, never get to see those other two babies again (1 & 2 yrs old) & the woman should be forced to have a tubal!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JMO