Andrea P. Zalewski: Another Bad Parent

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."

________________

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.