Sentenced this morning, VERY Disappointed in our justice System!
Lisa Ann Collard, 45, put methadone in the bottle because the boy had flu symptoms.
Kristopher Collard-Wilkschat died after drinking the bottle's contents at the family's Modbury Heights home in Adelaide in June last year.
The South Australian Supreme Court was told a pathologist's report showed the boy actually had pneumonia.
Collard pleaded guilty to manslaughter and administering a prescription drug without lawful excuse.
Justice John Sulan said Collard had been on the methadone program since 1991 to treat her heroin addiction.
He said her partner died of an accidental heroin overdose and that had led to Collard being depressed.
"You've suffered from mental health issues, including depression, since the death of Kristopher's father. As a result you cope poorly and this contributed to your actions that led to Kristopher's death," he said.
"I sentence you on the basis that you were grossly negligent and that you knew giving Kristopher methadone was inherently dangerous. This is a tragic case of negligence and conduct which, as I said, was inherently dangerous."
'Enormous remorse'
Justice Sulan acknowledged Collard's motives.
"I'm satisfied that you were trying to help Kristopher," he said.
"I accept that you've suffered enormous remorse from the death of your child and that you are still mourning his loss."
Justice Sulan noted Collard's three other children, aged between 16 and 23, were present in the courtroom and had earlier given a victim impact statement about how they missed their mother and wanted her home.
The woman was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison with an 18 month non-parole term.
Allowing for time already served, Collard will be eligible for parole in less than three weeks from now.
