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February 4

Mother, whose baby swallowed cocaine, gets 90 days

The Bingham woman's lawyer says the toddler suffered no lasting effects from swallowing cocaine last year.

By BETTY ADAMS Kennebec Journal

AUGUSTA -- A Bingham woman whose toddler swallowed cocaine last year will spend 90 days in jail.

Jillian Jones, 22, was sentenced Friday for endangering the welfare of a child and possession of cocaine.

At the hearing in Kennebec County Superior Court, the blond toddler slept soundly in her grandmother's arms. Jones took a deep breath and sobbed before speaking to Justice Nancy Mills.

"I'm so sorry about this," Jones said, weeping. "From here on out, I'm going to be the best mom I can be."

Jones' attorney, Sherry Tash, told the judge that the child suffered no lasting effects from ingesting the cocaine, and that Jones immediately took steps to deal with her substance abuse problem, including completing several drug programs.

The toddler will stay with Jones' mother while Jones is in jail, Tash said.

Jones, who pleaded guilty to the two misdemeanors on Oct. 4, was sentenced to 364 days in jail, with all but 90 days suspended, and one year of administrative release. She also was fined $400.

Conditions of the administrative release will prohibit Jones from having contact with the child's father, Justin Currier, 30, except through a third party.

Jones and Currier were arrested and charged after the incident in their apartment in Oakland on June 23.

At the time, Oakland Police Chief Rick Stubbert said the child, who was 18 months old, apparently found cocaine in the apartment and ingested some of it. Both parents were in the room with the toddler but were not supervising her, he said.

The Waterville Communications Center got a 911 call from Jones at 10:57 a.m., saying that the child had swallowed cocaine and was not breathing, according to Stubbert. Jones also called for help from neighbors.

The child was taken to the hospital and stayed there overnight.

Police didn't know how much cocaine the child had swallowed. The cocaine was reportedly destroyed before police arrived. By the time police and rescue workers arrived at the apartment, the child was alert and breathing.

Currier is serving 364 days in jail for endangering the welfare of child, possession of cocaine and falsifying physical evidence. He was sentenced on Sept. 13.

Kennebec Journal Staff Writer Betty Adams can be contacted at 621-5631 or at:

badams@centralmaine.com

 

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