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Samantha Hayes ReportingThe baby girl who ingested meth and died has many people asking what could have been done, especially through the courts, to save her life. In our search for answers, Eyewitness News requested more information from the judge in the case.
The baby's father claims he knew the mother was using methamphetamines and took his daughter from that house, but a judge ordered him to bring her back. We found out why.
Neither Mary Lacey nor Cole Morrow thought much of each other's parenting skills, that's obvious through court papers filed before their child's death.
In her request for a child protective order, Lacy writes: "July 30th Cole's oldest daughter was violently slamming Estella's head in to the floor despite my yelling for her to stop...," and "after numerous occasions after having visitation with Cole, Estella had unknown bruising and weird marks on her head..."
Cole Morrow, Father: "It was full of lies."
Lacey filed that order December 19th after Morrow, "forcefully abducted (Estella) from my home."
Judge Dane Nolan signed it the same day and the court asked Child and Family Services to investigate Morrow. Morrow returned the child, but said if he had been allowed to keep her, she would not have died of meth in her mother's care.
Cole Morrow: "I'm not a criminal, I was just protecting my daughter."
In fact, assault and burglary charges against Morrow were dropped, and investigators with Child and Family services say they did not find anything.
After the child died, DCFS says it investigated Lacey and her boyfriend and found evidence of medical neglect, child endangerment and physical abuse. Both have been charged.
DCFS says this was the second time it was called to investigate abuse and neglect concerning Estella Lacey.
The first time was November 29th last year. DCFS says it cannot tell us who was making the accusations or who it investigated, but state workers did not find evidence that Estella Lacey was being abused or neglected at that time.
