Inset, clockwise from top left: Hayden Simmons, Damien Windham, Erica Foley, and Judith Addison (Nassau County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Nassau County Jail & Detention Center (Google Maps).
In Florida, four adults have been arrested following a disturbing incident where a 1-year-old child consumed liquid from a sippy cup that contained methamphetamine. The group delayed seeking medical treatment for several hours, as reported by authorities.
The individuals arrested include 21-year-olds Hayden Simmons and Damien Windham, 45-year-old Erica Catherine Foley, and 79-year-old Judith Addison. They face charges of child neglect resulting in severe harm. It was confirmed that all four lived permanently in the residence where this incident occurred.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office released a statement, revealing that the Florida Department of Children and Families alerted detectives on February 24 about a toddler who had ingested methamphetamine the day before.
Investigators found that the child had sipped from a cup with a bag at the bottom, which the parents later identified as containing methamphetamine. Another resident of the household corroborated that the substance in the cup was indeed meth.
The statement noted that none of the household members contacted emergency services upon discovering the child might have been exposed to drugs.
Instead, they opted to keep an eye on the child through the night. When the toddler began vomiting later, the mother decided to drive to a nearby fire station to obtain assistance.
The toddler was later admitted to a local hospital where they were treated for “a possible overdose,” authorities said.
Deputies executed a search warrant at the defendants’ home where they allegedly recovered drug paraphernalia, including several glass pipes and containers with methamphetamine residue. As a result of the search, Foley was charged with an additional count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
All four defendants were booked into the Nassau County Jail & Detention Center. Bonds for Simmons and Windham were set at just over $25,000.
Foley’s bond on the two charges was set at just over $12,000, while Addison’s was set at $5,002.
Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge Steven M. Fahlgren issued a court order prohibiting the defendants from having contact with the toddler, records show. It was not immediately clear when the defendants were scheduled to appear in court again.
“This is a heartbreaking and completely preventable situation. A one-year-old child was exposed to a dangerous, illegal drug because the adults in that home failed to provide even the most basic level of care and protection,” Sheriff Bill Leeper said in a statement. “There is absolutely no excuse for methamphetamine to be within reach of a child.”
