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PROVO — An Elk Ridge man accused of helping his common-law wife hide his newborn baby's addiction by giving the infant drugs in the hospital is facing new charges.
Colby Glen Wilde, 29, and Lacey Dawn Christenson, 26, are each charged in 4th District Court with three counts of child abuse, a second-degree felony; distribution of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone, a second-degree felony; child endangerment, a third-degree felony; two counts of possession of controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor; and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor.
The couple, fearing their newborn daughter would be born addicted to drugs and it would be detected by doctors, is accused of crushing suboxone pills, mixing them with water and applying the mixture to the baby's gums to hide the signs of withdrawal. Suboxone is a prescription pain medication used for pain management and for addiction treatment.
The baby was born with an opiate dependence, according to court records.
The investigation began June 26 when Wilde attempted to return items from a Wal-Mart that he had just taken off the shelves, according to the Utah County Sheriff's Office.
As Wilde attempted to run from the store — while carrying a car seat with his child — after employees caught on to what he was doing, he ran into the sliding glass doors and then a pillar, twice dropping the seat. As bystanders tried to stop Wilde, he allegedly handed the car seat with his child in it to a stranger and ran to his car to escape.
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Couple tried to hide newborn's addiction by giving her drugs, police say
An Elk Ridge man and woman have been arrested following a monthlong investigation in which detectives say they discovered the couple gave drugs to their newborn while still in the hospital, and their other children also tested positive for drugs.Wilde was arrested soon after. Christenson, who was in the store with her three boys, ages 8, 4 and 2, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.
Wilde has now been charged in connection with the initial incident. He was charged Monday in 4th District Court with two counts of drug possession, a class A misdemeanor; DUI, a class B misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor; and not having insurance, a class C misdemeanor.
He pleaded no contest to shoplifting on Aug. 11 in connection with the same incident, according to court records. His next hearing regarding the other charges is Aug. 29.
