◼ Not guilty plea in CA meth-laced breastmilk death Jan 26, 2011 7:32 PM EST
A Northern California woman has pleaded not guilty to killing her 6-week-old baby by feeding him methamphetamine-laced breast milk.
Prosecutors say 26-year-old Maggie Jean Wortman of Loleta used methamphetamine and passed it to her two children while breast-feeding.
Detectives arrested Wortman last week after a two-month investigation found her son died in November due to "methamphetamine toxicity."
Wortman entered her plea Tuesday in Humboldt County Superior Court. She is charged with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of felony child endangerment.
The Times-Standard of Eureka reports that authorities placed Wortman's 19-month-old daughter in protective custody after she tested positive for methamphetamine.
Wortman faces a maximum prison sentence of nine years if convicted on all counts.
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◼ Information from: Times-Standard, http://www.times-standard.com
◼ Loleta mom pleads not guilty to manslaughter charge; mother allegedly passed lethal dose of meth to infant son through breast milk
Gallegos hits the big time.
Only right wing wackos watch Fox News
ReplyDeleteWhen a mother would poison her child because she is out of her mind and law enforcement becomes the solution, it should make the news. What are the options?
ReplyDeleteWe as a country have sent a message that we don't want to spend money funding solutions to problems like this. We, the people in a representative government have sent a message just a couple of months ago that we want to change the direction of the country. Funding for drug rehab, child care services, social security, Medicare and other socialistic programs and ideas are considered wasteful spending by the current majority in congress. It's Socialism!
Arguments could be made about the lack of mental care in Arizona these days for some recent deaths there. I don't want to turn this into an argument for more control of the population through laws and restrictions on people. Still, maybe if sick people like this could have better access to mental care we could stop blaming our problems on guns, drugs, and law enforcement.
I guess it boils down to accepting that there are people around us that can't function in society. We can either let them continue to amaze us with their lack of love or compassion when they do their horrible crime so we can lock them up for a few days or years, or we can face the problem head on. Mental health experts can do wonders when funded. They can better weed out those that can't or refuse to be helped and refer those people to either mental hospitals or prison.
This story made me really sad. If I have politicized this too much help me out, tell me something that would make things be better.
Tom, you have not politicized it too much - it is heartwrenching.
ReplyDeleteWhat's worse is comparing these charges to those of the Deputy in the fireworks accident.
You can't fix people like this woman, you have to hope strong punishment and fear of punishment would make her do the right thing if her own morals won't.
This is NOT the only case like this up here - it's just one that is finally getting prosecuted. Ask around.
I know Rose. I don't have to look around, it comes to me in the news room. Maybe 9 years off the drug will do some good but in an environment like prison, I don't hold out much hope for any real correction here. I do hope that Paul does keep her off the streets for a while so that she doesn't procreate and put more children at risk. People to lazy or drugged up to go to the kitchen and warm up the formula for their child are sick. To just sit there high and open your shirt because it's easier and kill a little baby is hard to digest. Yeah, jail is better than having this happen again but can't we do better?
ReplyDeleteI have to add that the woman hasn't been convicted. I am only going by the reports that landed her in jail.
ReplyDeleteThis is a horrible situation. Involuntary manslaughter sounds like the right charge however. Not everyone realizes that substances can be passed on that way, particularly at high dosages.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, should it be deemed a crime to smoke in the same room as a child? To smoke or drink while pregnant? At one point does the state move beyond its role as protector of the child and invade the rights of the parent? I think it's safe to say that this mother crossed the line, but we do have to define it pretty clearly.
Involuntary manslaughter Eric? Tom? Are you fucking kidding me. She fed her kid meth and knew it god damn it. She murdered that child. Oh, she gets a walk because she fed her child an overdose of drugs. Maybe she should have run that child over with the car?
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you two. What if someone fed your child meth and she died Eric? Its murder and I am sick of you and Tom excusing these people. You live with this. I am disgusted at both of you and for both of you.
This is not liberalism. So kill your kid with illegal meth = a misdemeanor manslaughter charge. Injure your niece and yourself with an illegal firework and it is a felony punishable for longer than the death by meth. If you are ok with that you make me sick.
Well both cases, if you actually read the articles have the same maximum exposure. Nine years. Doesn't mean that any Humboldt County Judge will give either of them that sentence. However, Marsh will likely get probation and some local time. Wortman will go to Prison. Furthermore if you read the excellent article in the T-S it talked about how Murder charges in these types of cases, however, vengefully appropriate they may be, are kind of really hard. In fact the only recent conviction was overturned. That was Riverside with more conservative juries. I hope your not sticking up for Marsh, because he and his cronies gave $23K to Allison Jackson for DA. Kind of think that's your angle.
ReplyDeleteNO - IT IS MORE THAT GALLEGOS HAS SHOWN A PROPENSITY TO GO AFTER LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR HIS OWN REASONS - rather the OPPOSITE of what you are suggesting. Employing a Grand Jury when a case has no secrets to hide - and a lot more. Not only that, but his attack dogs go into full battle mode.
ReplyDeleteBut that's only one reason that law enforcement does not, has not and never has supported Gallegos - he does not do his job. They do, and they are frustrated by his lack of follow through, among other things.
But if that (campaign contributions and payback) is a concern of yours I HOPE you are paying attention to little Mr. Bowman, who is arrested YET AGAIN. Will Paul do his job?