From Sheriff Jim H. Johnson
The Lee County Sheriff’s Department Criminal Investigation Division, Investigator Rachel Clock, presented several cases this past Grand Jury that resulted in numerous indictments being returned for “Child Endangerment - Child Testing Positive for Controlled Substance.” I was recently asked about these type of cases.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Department works with CPS, Lee County Youth Court and the Family Resource Center on all cases involving physical and sexual abuse of children. We unfortunately have a great number of cases, including these, in which very young children and even newborns test positive for illegal drugs due to their parent or caregiver using drugs around them. Illegal drug use during pregnancy can cause a wide range of long-term health complications and even death for an infant. Illegal drug use increases the likelihood of children being placed in foster care and lowers the likelihood of family reunification. As you can imagine, this creates a whole new set of issues for the child who never asked to be in a home with drug-addicted parents or caregivers in the first place.
Children who live in homes with a drug-addicted parent are 4 times more likely to experience neglect and 3 times more likely to experience other forms of physical abuse. Around 43% of all child abuse cases in the U.S. involve substance abuse, with methamphetamine being a front-runner as one of the most-used illegal drugs.
According to the National Association for Children of Addiction, there are 2 babies born every second to drug addicted parents.
When you think about everything that goes into the cost of just one case of drug endangerment you must consider things like court costs (criminal & family), parenting classes, foster care, medical expenses, counseling and therapy for the child, and other social services. All of that really adds up and while these innocent children are well worth the investment in those services and more, it’s a very preventable and senseless situation into which they’re thrown by irresponsible parents and caregivers.
We know that everyone has a story and a struggle in life, and sometimes that struggle is drug addiction, but there is help. In the meantime, we want to send a clear message to our community that here in Lee County we will not tolerate people endangering our most precious and vulnerable population with illegal drugs. If your child tests positive for drugs as a result of your behavior, you will be charged.
WTVA will air a story tonight with more information.
Original source can be found here.
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