Post by pelicanguy on Jan 24, 2007 11:58:35 GMT -5
Officials: Mom allowed infant to drink beer
By Tom Smith
Senior Staff Writer
TimesDaily, Florence, Ala.
RUSSELLVILLE -- A Franklin County woman has been arrested after she allowed her infant son to drink beer, officials said.
Stephanie Ann Helton, 21, 185 Newell Road, Phil Campbell, has been charged with child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Franklin County Sheriff Larry Plott said Helton is accused of not only letting her son drink beer from a can, but for watching him do so.
Child abuse is a Class C felony, punishable by one to 10 years in prison if convicted. The other charge is a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a punishment of up to a year in jail and $1,000 fine.
Authorities were called to a Spruce Pine residence early Saturday morning to make a welfare check on three children, according to reports.
When they arrived, the children -- ages 8, 7 and 1 -- were with the adults who were reportedly all under the influence of alcohol.
Deputies said one of the older children told authorities that the 1-year-old had been allowed to drink beer. Investigators said Helton admitted to letting it happen after being confronted with the allegations.
"Things we see in this job never ceases to amaze,'' Plott said. "Parents should know better; who's to say how much is too much alcohol for a child that age?''
Dr. Karen Landers, District 1 health officer, said alcohol consumption in children could cause serious health risks.
"Children don't process alcohol the way adults do,'' Landers said. "A very small amount could cause alcohol poisoning for a child.
"It's a very serious situation; it could even be fatal.''
Franklin DHR Director Jerry Groce said one of the responsibilities of parents is to protect their children from dangerous or harmful things.
"You don't expose them to dangers,'' Groce said. "That's one thing we look at when it has been alleged children have been abused, neglected or exploited.''
Groce said abuse or neglect is not always physical.
"Children can be abused by being exposed to dangerous situations,'' he said. "They can be placed in abusive situations by failure of a caregiver.''
A Franklin woman who left her 7-year-old daughter at the residence under Helton's care is accused of refusing to pick up her daughter after authorities repeatedly asked her to do so.
Naomi Nicole Eddy, 25, 4830 Franklin 20, Spruce Pine, was arrested Monday and charged with child abandonment.
Investigators said that after repeated attempts to get Eddy to pick up or make arrangements for someone to take care of her child, she told them to "do whatever they needed to'' with her daughter.
County officials said the child was placed in foster care.
Investigators said Robert Scott Anderson, 34, same address as Eddy's, was charged with interfering with a governmental operation.
Deputies said Anderson is accused of interfering with the investigation into the child abandonment case by refusing to allow Eddy to talk with law enforcement.
Officials said all three children are either in foster homes or with other family members.
Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.
www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070123/NEWS/701230322/0/FRONTPAGE
By Tom Smith
Senior Staff Writer
TimesDaily, Florence, Ala.
RUSSELLVILLE -- A Franklin County woman has been arrested after she allowed her infant son to drink beer, officials said.
Stephanie Ann Helton, 21, 185 Newell Road, Phil Campbell, has been charged with child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Franklin County Sheriff Larry Plott said Helton is accused of not only letting her son drink beer from a can, but for watching him do so.
Child abuse is a Class C felony, punishable by one to 10 years in prison if convicted. The other charge is a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a punishment of up to a year in jail and $1,000 fine.
Authorities were called to a Spruce Pine residence early Saturday morning to make a welfare check on three children, according to reports.
When they arrived, the children -- ages 8, 7 and 1 -- were with the adults who were reportedly all under the influence of alcohol.
Deputies said one of the older children told authorities that the 1-year-old had been allowed to drink beer. Investigators said Helton admitted to letting it happen after being confronted with the allegations.
"Things we see in this job never ceases to amaze,'' Plott said. "Parents should know better; who's to say how much is too much alcohol for a child that age?''
Dr. Karen Landers, District 1 health officer, said alcohol consumption in children could cause serious health risks.
"Children don't process alcohol the way adults do,'' Landers said. "A very small amount could cause alcohol poisoning for a child.
"It's a very serious situation; it could even be fatal.''
Franklin DHR Director Jerry Groce said one of the responsibilities of parents is to protect their children from dangerous or harmful things.
"You don't expose them to dangers,'' Groce said. "That's one thing we look at when it has been alleged children have been abused, neglected or exploited.''
Groce said abuse or neglect is not always physical.
"Children can be abused by being exposed to dangerous situations,'' he said. "They can be placed in abusive situations by failure of a caregiver.''
A Franklin woman who left her 7-year-old daughter at the residence under Helton's care is accused of refusing to pick up her daughter after authorities repeatedly asked her to do so.
Naomi Nicole Eddy, 25, 4830 Franklin 20, Spruce Pine, was arrested Monday and charged with child abandonment.
Investigators said that after repeated attempts to get Eddy to pick up or make arrangements for someone to take care of her child, she told them to "do whatever they needed to'' with her daughter.
County officials said the child was placed in foster care.
Investigators said Robert Scott Anderson, 34, same address as Eddy's, was charged with interfering with a governmental operation.
Deputies said Anderson is accused of interfering with the investigation into the child abandonment case by refusing to allow Eddy to talk with law enforcement.
Officials said all three children are either in foster homes or with other family members.
Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.
www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070123/NEWS/701230322/0/FRONTPAGE