A Florida toddler is recovering after authorities say the child drank from a sippy cup containing a bag of methamphetamine — a discovery that has led to felony charges against four adults who allegedly failed to call 911 when they realized what had happened.
According to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, Hayden Simmons, 21, Damien Windham, 21, Erica Catherine Foley, 45, and Judith Addison, 79, were arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 25, and each charged with one felony count of child neglect resulting in great bodily harm.
The four adults are described as permanent residents of the Callahan home where the incident unfolded.
Authorities say the frightening chain of events began Monday, Feb. 23, when a toddler living at the residence drank from a sippy cup. Afterward, the child’s parents allegedly discovered a bag sitting at the bottom of the cup.
A resident later confirmed to investigators that the bag contained methamphetamine, the sheriff’s office said.
Despite realizing the toddler had “potentially been exposed” to the illegal drug, authorities allege that none of the adults in the home immediately called emergency services. Instead, they monitored the child overnight.
It wasn’t until the toddler began vomiting that the child’s mother transported the baby to a nearby fire station for help. The toddler was later admitted to a local hospital for treatment of a possible overdose.
The following day, Feb. 24, the Florida Department of Children and Families notified detectives that a toddler had allegedly ingested methamphetamine.
Detectives with the sheriff’s office executed a search warrant at the Callahan home. Inside, they reported finding drug paraphernalia, including several glass pipes and containers bearing methamphetamine residue.
On Feb. 25, Simmons, Windham, Foley, and Addison were arrested and booked into the Nassau County Jail and Detention Center.
According to online jail records, bonds for Simmons and Windham were set at more than $25,000 each. Foley’s bond was set at $12,504; she also faces an additional misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Addison’s bond was set at $5,000.
Sheriff Bill Leeper called the case both heartbreaking and preventable.
“A 1-year-old child was exposed to a dangerous, illegal drug because the adults in that home failed to provide even the most basic level of care and protection,” Leeper said in a statement. “There is absolutely no excuse for methamphetamine to be within reach of a child.”
Authorities have not publicly identified the toddler’s parents, and it remains unclear whether any of the four suspects have retained attorneys.
