Mom faces charges of giving cocaine to toddler
The Oskaloosa woman put the drug on the tongue of her 20-month-old son, authorities say.
By MEGHAN V. MALLOY - REGISTER STAFF WRITER
March 8, 2007
An Oskaloosa woman will be in court later this month to face charges that she gave cocaine to her 20-month-old son.
Alicia Boyd-Reynolds, 21, was arrested Wednesday by Mahaska County sheriff's deputies and charged with distribution of a controlled substance to a minor and neglect.
The charges are punishable by up to 35 years in prison.
Mahaska County Attorney Rose Anne Mefford alleges that Boyd-Reynolds put cocaine on the child's tongue in the presence of another adult. Mefford would not say who reported the alleged incident to authorities, or whether investigators think it was isolated. She said the child is in protective custody but would not provide details.
Sheriff's investigators would not comment on why they think Boyd-Reynolds gave the drug to the child.
A court date is set for March 15.
Court records show Boyd-Reynold has previous convictions for assault and theft but no previous drug charges in Iowa.
The allegations come just days after a Texas teenager made national headlines for allegedly prompting his nephews, ages 5 and 2, to smoke marijuana.
Authorities say Demetris McCoy, 17, of Watauga, Texas, and another teen rolled marijuana into cigar paper, known as a "blunt," and lit it for the children.
"We saw this child puffing on that blunt like he was a 20-year-old doper. I am not even kidding you," Watauga Police Chief Bruce Ure said. "It's just very sad."
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