sws4420
12-04-2006, 10:32 AM
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A 2-month-old girl is expected to be OK despite having a blood-alcohol content that was more than four times the legal limit for adults who drive.
The baby girl and her mother were dropped off at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs early Sunday morning by the mother's boyfriend. The man took off and now the Colorado Springs Police Department is searching for him.
The infant was brought in with blood-alcohol level of 0.364, investigators said.
"I can't fathom how that can happen. Obviously, there's quite a concern for the child. There has to be some sort of negligent act here, but further investigation will bear that out," said Colorado Springs police Sgt. Steve Ward.
The baby's mother is the focus of the criminal investigation. But police said it's been difficult to figure out exactly what happened because the mother is telling conflicting stories.
"There have been some accidental ingestions, but with a 2-month-old, they don't get around very well. It's hard to believe that it would be an accidental ingestion by the baby itself. I would have to think the alcohol was somehow made available to the baby," Ward said.
A similar situation took place in Erie, Colo., this past October when a 17-month-old boy ended up in the hospital with a blood-alcohol level of 0.195. An emergency room doctor 7NEWS spoke with then was in shock.
"Not to be comatose at that stage, they maybe would have had to have a tolerance," said Dr. Kerry Broderick with Denver Health.
Hospital staff said the extent of the alcohol poisoning is so rare, they're not sure what kind of long-term effects the baby might suffer. They said they've treated the baby for poisoning and hope she will be fine.
The Colorado Springs child as placed into the Department of Human Services custody while police investigate.
Police don't know what role, if any, the boyfriend played in the situation and that's why they want to speak with him. But they said finding him won't be easy because he lives out of his car.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/10453702/detail.html
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A 2-month-old girl is expected to be OK despite having a blood-alcohol content that was more than four times the legal limit for adults who drive.
The baby girl and her mother were dropped off at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs early Sunday morning by the mother's boyfriend. The man took off and now the Colorado Springs Police Department is searching for him.
The infant was brought in with blood-alcohol level of 0.364, investigators said.
"I can't fathom how that can happen. Obviously, there's quite a concern for the child. There has to be some sort of negligent act here, but further investigation will bear that out," said Colorado Springs police Sgt. Steve Ward.
The baby's mother is the focus of the criminal investigation. But police said it's been difficult to figure out exactly what happened because the mother is telling conflicting stories.
"There have been some accidental ingestions, but with a 2-month-old, they don't get around very well. It's hard to believe that it would be an accidental ingestion by the baby itself. I would have to think the alcohol was somehow made available to the baby," Ward said.
A similar situation took place in Erie, Colo., this past October when a 17-month-old boy ended up in the hospital with a blood-alcohol level of 0.195. An emergency room doctor 7NEWS spoke with then was in shock.
"Not to be comatose at that stage, they maybe would have had to have a tolerance," said Dr. Kerry Broderick with Denver Health.
Hospital staff said the extent of the alcohol poisoning is so rare, they're not sure what kind of long-term effects the baby might suffer. They said they've treated the baby for poisoning and hope she will be fine.
The Colorado Springs child as placed into the Department of Human Services custody while police investigate.
Police don't know what role, if any, the boyfriend played in the situation and that's why they want to speak with him. But they said finding him won't be easy because he lives out of his car.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/10453702/detail.html