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A baby is near death tonight after he overdosed on drugs. But as doctors fight to save his life, Sandy police are trying to find out how the 1-year-old got the drugs.
Around 2 p.m. today, emergency crews were called to the Liberty Heights Apartments at 8176 S. 1300 East. When they arrived, they found the baby unresponsive and not breathing.
He was taken to Alta View Hospital by ambulance then flown to Primary Children's Medical Center. He remains in extremely critical condition, but the good news is he has started breathing on his own.
Investigators have been at the hospital throughout the night questioning the parents. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators found evidence of legal and illegal drug use in the home.
"We do have some illegal drug paraphernalia. We do have numerous prescription drug medications," Sandy police Sgt. Justin Chapman said. "The prescription medications belong to the person in the home, so they are legal to have."
Prescribed or not, whatever the baby ingested could be deadly. "It can be a very scary, dangerous thing for children," said Salt Lake County Deputy District Attorney Steve Nelson
Nelson says from 2000 to 2006, his office saw over 900 cases of child endangerment involving kids and drugs. He says even ingesting a low dose of a prescribed or illegal drugs can do irreparable damage. "It can be a very problematic to a developing child," he said.
Investigators have taken the prescription drugs from the apartment to doctors at Primary Children's Medical Center. "To see what particular medicine, if indeed it was a prescription medicine, to see which the young boy overdosed on," Chapman said.
Police will try to figure out how the baby got a hold of whatever the drug turns out to be.
Doctors conducted toxicology screening tonight and hope to have the results by tomorrow. Anyone who endangers a child with drugs can be charged with a felony.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
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