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ST. GEORGE — The mother of a 3-day-old baby has been arrested after allegedly breastfeeding her baby while on heroin, police said.
The newborn subsequently stopped breathing and was transported to the emergency room before being placed in the neonatal intensive care unit.
At approximately 11:18 a.m. Wednesday, a call was made to 911 from the Chevron gas station located at 927 W. Sunset Blvd. in St. George, regarding a 3-day-old baby who was struggling to breathe and had eventually stopped breathing, according to a probable cause statement filed by St. George Police in support of the arrest.
The newborn was placed on the gas station checkout counter and CPR was in progress when medical personnel arrived at the gas station to transport the baby boy to the emergency room at Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, police said.
When officers arrived at the emergency room, they learned the baby, who was born March 4, had a broken clavicle and a hematoma on the back of his head, leading officials to suspect possible child abuse, according to the statement.
After speaking with the baby’s grandmother, officers learned that the baby’s mother, identified as Elizabeth Ola Canon, 29, of St. George, had a difficult time delivering the baby and that the injuries had occurred during the delivery, the report states. Medical records confirmed the grandmother’s account.
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