Arizona mother arrested after toddler ate mac and cheese laced with THC
An Arizona mom was arrested by the Tempe police department for child abuse after they received a complaint which stated that her 2-year-old daughter had consumed macaroni and cheese laced with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) - the principal psychoactive constituent of marijuana.
According to the criminal complaint, 25-year-old Alaina Marie Limpert was arrested last week for the incident and that neither she nor her husband, who has not been named or charged, sought out emergency care for their daughter. Instead, they allegedly stood there and laughed.
The complaint states that Limpert told authorities she had made the special mac and cheese for her husband and that she had no idea that the toddler had eaten any of it. The incident was reported to the police from someone who witnessed it unfold from inside the house, though his/her identity was not revealed.
The complaint read: "It was witnessed inside of the residence that [both parents] laughed about the side effects the child experienced during that time and then proceeded to place her into their backyard pool to use the cold water to 'shock her.'
After the complaint and Limpert's subsequent arrest, officials from the Arizona Department of Child Safety removed all three children from the home and a hospital test confirmed that the 2-year-old had indeed consumed THC. It is unclear what will happen to the children.
The Miami Herald reported the comments of Dr. Robert Glattner, a physician at New York City's Lennox Hill Hospital, who said that marijuana could be 'extremely dangerous' to toddlers: "When young children get a hold of these products, they can have severe reactions, including nausea, vomiting, disorientation, anxiety-like reactions and even psychotic reactions that can make them do things they wouldn’t normally do."
A search of Limpert's residence led police to find a pair of marijuana tents in her garage with 20 plants, three large tubs of THC butter, an n number of pipes and bongs, hash oil, and mushrooms. The couple had also hired a 'live-in nanny' who was tasked with watering the marijuana plants in the garage.
Limpert has been charged with a slew of offenses including suspicion of child abuse, possession of marijuana, cultivation of marijuana, possession of narcotic drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy to cultivate marijuana.
During her initial appearance in court, she reportedly cried when the judge informed her that she would not be allowed to have contact with any children. When she asked whether that applied to her children as well, the judge clarified: "Any of your children. You will not have any contact with minors including the alleged victim."
While Limpert is no longer in custody, she has been ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device. The 25-year-old is due in court in the next week and will have a chance to either appeal or plead guilty to the charges levied against her.