UPDATE, March 13, 2009: Medical examiner found methadone in infant's system and in formula in bottle
According to a statement released Thursday by the state Department of Children and Families, the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare was notified of Lola's condition.
A bureau social worker "confirmed with staff at the residential treatment facility that baby Lola's mother was actively participating in their program and was receiving all appropriate services," the statement reads.
"Reports from multiple providers also indicated that the mother was following all recommendations regarding the medical care of baby Lola. There was no evidence to support a finding of neglect.
"The BMCW determined that services . . . were not necessary and that the mother and baby Lola were receiving services from community providers."
..."It is a devastating situation," said Department of Children and Families Secretary Reggie Bicha, who visited Milwaukee on Thursday.
Sometimes, he said, "our child welfare system does all it can do and still tragedies happen."
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This is so sad.
Another parent from the Milwaukee area has been charged in the death of her child.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
A 26-year-old West Allis woman has been charged in the death of her 3-month-old daughter, who, investigators say, died of acute methadone intoxication after being given formula that was laced with the drug.
A criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court charges Andrea P. Zalewski with one count of child neglect resulting in death. If convicted, she faces fines of up to $100,000 and up to 25 years in prison.
According to the complaint, West Allis firefighters responded to a 911 call in the 1400 block of S. 81st St. on Oct. 29 of last year. They found the baby, Lola Lieb, without a pulse and not breathing.
Her mother, Zalewski, told investigators that the baby was on a sleep apnea monitor that went off before she found her baby was not breathing. Investigators, however, later learned from a download of the monitor's memory that it had last been used on Oct. 22 for six seconds, was turned off and not used after that, according to the complaint.
Police following up with the baby's pediatrician in January learned that the mother had been on methadone during her pregnancy and the child was born with a methadone addiction.
The baby went into detoxification after being born and was medicated with morphine and phenobarbital a month later, common for babies with a methadone addiction, according to the complaint. After her release from the hospital, she lived with her mother.
Here's a thought: If you're on methadone, don't get pregnant.
Obviously, Zalewski was messing up her life. If she chooses to destroy herself, that's her business. I don't understand why she would choose to have a child she wasn't fit to bear.
The doctor told investigators that he recommended to Zalewski that she not breastfeed to avoid transferring any drugs that might be in her system to the baby.
...An autopsy showed that the child died of acute methadone intoxication and that the bottle she had used before falling asleep on Oct. 29 was tested and had traces of methadone, according to the complaint.
Investigators also found a syringe in the area of the baby bottle with methadone in the syringe.
Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Christopher Happy told police in January that the amount of methadone in Lola's system was so high that it could not have come from breastfeeding. He told investigators that the baby formula had been mixed with methadone.
Zalewski told police in January that she is the only one who made formula for her daughter and "stated if Lola Lieb was given methadone she must have done it but she doesn't remember doing that."
She told police that on Oct. 28 she was on liquid methadone and kept it on top of the refrigerator close to the baby bottles.
If Zalewski claims she doesn't remember doing something like putting methadone in her baby daughter's formula, she certainly didn't have the capacity to care for her child.
This baby was born addicted to methadone. Was a social worker following up on Lola Lieb?
If so, the social worker failed, miserably.
If not, the baby and mother should have been monitored by social services, closely.
Of course, ultimate responsibility lies with Zalewski.
"Oops! I don't remember feeding methadone to my baby."
That's inexcusable.
Anyway, I don't buy Zalewski's foggy memory line.
Another innocent baby has died either accidentally due to incredible incompetence or intentionally due to an unfathomable degree of malice.
Rest in peace, Lola Lieb.
13 comments:
What happened is inexcusable, I agree. However, I know a family member of Zalewski and know that she was on methadone for prescription drugs she had become addicted to.........nothing illegal. How the methadone was fed to the baby I don't know, but I don't think it's fair to say that a mother addicted to prescription drugs was unfit to bear children. It wasn't her fault she became addicted to her prescription and the methadone was meant to help her.
First, I have no way of verifying that you know a family member of Zalewski. For the sake of discussion, I'll take what you say as true.
My comment about her being unfit to bear a child is harsh. I know this must be a very difficult time for her and her family.
You say that she was a prescription drug addict. I don't know what drugs she was using, but you don't just wake up an addict.
After becoming dependent on her prescription, did her doctor keep increasing her dose or did she obtain drugs illegally?
If a doctor gave her a prescription for Methadone rather than wean her off the other drugs, she must have been a very heavy duty addict.
Was she on Methadone before she became pregnant?
There's a lot of information that's not included in the news reports. In any event, Zalewski really had serious issues with drugs -- not a good time to become pregnant.
Obviously, she wasn't fit to be a parent. She wasn't using the sleep monitor. Her baby is dead from acute methadone intoxication.
It's very sad.
She deserves what's coming to her... to bad WI doesn't have the death penalty.
she's a crack head baby killer
You don't know her, you don't know the situation, all you have is what is in the police report and criminal complaint. You can't judge someone just on that. You don't have all the facts. What happened to Lola is unbearably terrible. Lola was dearly loved and is greatly missed. We don't appreciate people who don't know things throwing out accusations and calling for cruel punishment.
I do know Andrea and the father of the baby. I know she had problems but I can tell you first hand she deserves everything that is coming to her. She was and is an unfit parent and hopefully her other child will be safe now that she will pay for what she did simply becuase of her stupid decisions. There is no excuse for what happend and I really don't think she doesn't remember. You know what you did and may god bless Lola
Yes, wishing the death penalty on the mother is totally inappropriate.
Reports from multiple providers also indicated that the mother was following all recommendations regarding the medical care of baby Lola. There was no evidence to support a finding of neglect.
This is a tragic situation.
I agree it's horrible... but the fact is I did know her and I still think what she did is inexcusable and SHE SHOULD GET WHAT'S COMING TO HER.
"stated if Lola Lieb was given methadone she (the mother) must have done it but she doesn't remember doing that."
hmm... sounds like a crack head baby killer to me!
I'm glad this was caught. Sounds like a lot of lying was going on. Oh, I ALWAYS keep the apnea monitor on and it alarmed the day little Lola died...yet it was proven it hadn't been on in a week!?! I'm sorry, but this baby should have NEVER been left with her methadone mommy. I hope this lying baby killer rots in prison. I agree that any mother addicted to ANY drug, prescription or not, is unfit to bear children. Get clean, then get pregnant. All drugs have the potential to cause harm to a fetus...and yes I mean ALL.
I hope the women in Taycheedah, or where ever she goes, offer a bit of "behind bars" justice.
Oh...and "Al" -- I'm doubting the police report lies...so what excuse is sweet little Andrea giving for killing her baby?? An "oops...I'm sorry!" Puh-lease!
I never said the report lies, I only stated that there is more to the story. Andrea is family and this is hard for all of us. I'm not saying that she is completely without fault, or that I know exactly what happened. What I'm saying is that none of you do know the truth and have no right to judge.
Too often when talking about stories in the news, people fail to be sensitive to the fact that for the ones involved it's extremely painful because it's their personal heartache.
As I said before, the news reports aren't giving all the facts. We need to be mindful of that.
However, we do have the right to express our opinions. The "news" is open for public discussion. I realize that can be a source of pain for others, but that's the nature of a crime being reported to the public.
We do have the RIGHT to judge, even though the judgments may be very misguided and hurtful to the parties involved.
How one exercises free speech is a measure of the person. It can be done responsibly and irresponsibly.
So what is the truth then? What truth justifies murdering your own child? I'm sorry but this is inexcusable. You don't shut off a piece of life-saving equipment because it alarms too much or is just too much work. There is NO excuse for that. Couple that with the fact she didn't double or triple check what drug she was putting in her child's bottle and syringe is just plain stupid...and unfortuantely a poor helpless infant died due to this woman's stupidity.
I place all my blame on the methadone mom AND whomever deemed her fit to raise a newborn. Hopefully justice will prevail and put Andrea behind bars for a long time...thus preventing her from having anymore children.
My thoughts are with the family who are hurting at the loss of Lola and at the fact they didn't do anything to help prevent her death. I'm truly sorry for your loss.
God Bless little Lola.
how old is the other child that someone mentioned she has? were they able to put her in protective custody?
He is 6 or 7 and lives with his grandma.
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