Baby born addicted to drugs fully recovers thanks to doctors, adoptive family


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SALT LAKE CITY Five months ago, little Enoch was born addicted to cocaine, heroine and prescription drugs. Doctors expected him to have long-term complications, including brain damage and learning disabilities. They were worried for his future.

"IMC said that he was the sickest baby they've seen in several years," said Enoch's adoptive mother, who asked for herself and her daughter not to be identified by name.

Enoch screamed through tremors, vomiting and severe diarrhea. To protect his little brain, doctors switched his addiction to morphine, and slowly weaned him to formula.

With family members always by his crib side, he pulled through drug withdrawals.

"We were there 16 hours a day," Enoch's mother said. "Brandon would go up eight hours, and we'd switch so someone was always home with the kids; someone was always with Enoch."


We love this young lady, she had the courage. She might not have done the right thing when she was pregnant with him, but in the end, when it counted, she did the right thing.

–Enoch's adoptive mother


That constant attention is something no doctor or lawyer could order, and it helped Enoch to thrive.

"He's a happy, healthy; I mean, he's getting big. So, he's a great kid!" his father Brandon said.

Last November, Enoch's birth mother, Shea Renee Sheeran, was charged in Summit County's 3rd District Court on with child abuse involving intentionally inflicting serious physical injury and child endangerment, related to her drug use while she was pregnant.

Sheeran gave up her newborn as part of plea deal. She got a lighter sentence, and her baby got a better chance at life with two parents and three siblings to love him.

After all he's been through, it would be easy to harshly the judge the birth mother. But Enoch's family says the only emotion they feel is gratitude.

"We love this young lady, she had the courage," said Enoch's mom. "She might not have done the right thing when she was pregnant with him, but in the end, when it counted, she did the right thing."

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Nadine Wimmer

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