Hodges found guilty of child neglect, drug distribution

[foolsgold]

A Rocky Mount woman was found guilty Friday of felony child neglect and distribution of Diazepam for giving her child medicine for which she had a prescription.

Kristie Leigh Hodges, 41, faces up to 11 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Hodges was indicted by a grand jury in June on charges of maliciously causing bodily injury to the child; permitting the life of the child to be endangered; showing reckless disregard for human life; distribution of Diazepam (valium); and distribution of Amitriptyline (antidepressant).
All the charges except child neglect and distribution of Diazepam were dismissed during the trial.
The offenses occurred on April 14, 2013.
Hodges was charged as the result of a call to police that alleged that Hodges had given the child drugs for the purpose of harming the child, according to Investigator Ashley Norton with the Rocky Mount Police Department.
Police officers were sent to Hodges' residence to investigate, she added.
The child was taken to the hospital, Norton said, where two prescription drugs for which Hodges has a prescription were found in the child's body.
A sentencing hearing for Hodges is set for March 11 at 3 p.m. in Franklin County Circuit Court.

http://www.thefranklinnewspost.com/article.cfm?ID=26517

 

[bukweat]

Mother of the year material. The article doesn't say how old the child was. That may make some difference in the severity of the judge's sentence.

 

[slimvictor]

I wonder how someone knew / thought that she was trying to harm the child?
I always try to speak up for ignorant parents who give their children (small amounts) of (illegal) drugs e.g. for the purpose of pain reduction.
Though their behavior is ignorant, at least they aren't trying to hurt their child. After all, many parents give their children alcohol for pain relief, or to help them sleep. This happens in many countries across the world.
Still, they probably need a serious wake-up call, so being arrested may help. But I usually don't think that they deserve years in prison.

In this case, with 2 drugs in the kid's body, and the claim that she was trying to hurt the child - assuming it is true - 11 years in prison sounds a bit too light.