Child Abuse and The Blog

I noticed that someone tried to hook up with this blog site by typing in "child abuse."

Every day I get fifteen or so email postings about childcare across the nation and world where a child has been abused, maimed, killed or sexually abused.

It would be very easy to post these stories, but child abuse is not child development, and I really don't think it fits well here.

The question stands: Why would you want to read about children being abused?

If there is a positive story, I will post it, but nightmares about kids is not what this blog is about.

On the other hand, there was a criminal story posted this weekend that held some interest. It's about medicating children in order that they sleep. Lots of parents over the years have given a taste of something to their own children when the absence of sleep makes a child uncomfortable. I have heard it recommended by doctors, but not often and not routinely.

The story here is about what happens when it's a regular part of so called child care, and administered by a provider unbeknown to the parents. I think it's worth publishing simply as something to know about for future reference.

My personal belief is that childcare is not the place for medication.

Story:

Tests found day care kids sedated

By GREG TUTTLE Of The Gazette Staff

The parents of three children who prosecutors said were sedated with drugs at a Laurel day care testified Friday at Sabine Bieber's negligent-homicide trial, including one woman who said Bieber considered killing herself if police came for her. Patricia Roma said her 2-year-old son was among the three children who tested positive for an allergy medicine that prosecutors said Bieber used to sedate children at her Tiny Tots Day Care.


Another child, Dane Heggem, died of an overdose of the over-the-counter medication on Jan. 31, 2003, prosecutors said.

Roma said she spoke with Bieber the day the Heggem child died at the day care and numerous times after the child's death as investigators were building a homicide case.

During one of those conversations, Roma said, Bieber said she was being unfairly targeted and would commit suicide if arrested.

"She said it was a witch hunt and that they were going to blame her because they wanted to blame someone for the death of baby Dane," Roma testified. "And if they were coming to arrest her, she would kill herself before letting her children see her taken away."

Roma also said Bieber described how she had "gone over their story" with her partner, and investigators would find no evidence to contradict it.

"She was sticking to her story, that was her story, and they wouldn't find anything different than her story," Roma said.

For the first time during the trial, which began Tuesday in District Court, Bieber appeared to show some emotion. She repeatedly wiped away tears as Roma spoke.

Roma was among a half-dozen witnesses who took the stand Friday. The jury also heard testimony from social worker Tana Johnson, who said Bieber tossed a small dose cup into a sink while being questioned at the day care two weeks after the boy's death.

But Johnson agreed with defense attorney Robert Stephens that Bieber may have been removing the dose cup after being told she was being cited for a violation because the medicine was accessible to children.

Bieber is charged with felony tampering with evidence for the incident. She also is on trial for negligent homicide and three counts of criminal endangerment. She faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison if convicted. The trial is expected to last through next week.

Roma was the last of three parents called to testify Friday. The criminal-endangerment charges against Bieber allege that she gave their children doses of diphenhydramine to manage their naps. The drug is an antihistamine commonly known by the brand name Benadryl.

Deborah Ludwick said her son attended Tiny Tots Day Care in January 2003 at the age of 8 months. She said it came as a surprise when investigators told her tests showed the baby had the allergy drug in his system.

"I had no idea where it came from," she said.

Her son did not need the medicine, and she had not given Bieber permission to give it to him, she said.

Monica Stricker's 4-year-old son also tested positive for the drug. She said her son had been "sluggish all the time" but became "alive again" after Tiny Tots was closed after the death of Dane Heggem.

"It was like he was a different kid," she said.

The prosecution began its case Wednesday with testimony from Travis and Calista Heggem, who said their son was healthy before his death and they did not give Bieber permission to give him the antihistamine.

During opening statements, defense attorney Robert Stephens said Bieber denies giving the children the drug to make them sleep and Dane Heggem's death could have been caused by an undiagnosed heart condition.