Joliet mom charged in tot's drug death

[Steff]

At first I thought (hoped) this was some terrible accident, but with the amount of medicine in this little ones system it seems on purpose. I wish people who don't want their kids anymore would just call someone to surrender them. There are so many people wanting to adopt and help this is so terrible.

 

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/...story?track=rss

 

 

Tribune staff reports

Published September 12, 2006, 7:18 PM CDT

 

 

Will County authorities have filed murder charges against a Joliet woman who they said forced her 19-month-old daughter to ingest an over-the-counter antihistamine commonly used to treat allergies, colds and hay fever.

 

Sarah Campbell-Merker, 27, of the 900 block of Audrey Avenue, caused the January death of Jaycee Merker, State's Atty. James Glasgow said in a press release Tuesday.

 

Campbell-Merker is accused of having the girl ingest diphenhydramine, knowing it created a strong possibility of death or great bodily harm, Glasgow said.

 

Jaycee Merker's father found her dead in her crib on the morning of Jan. 10, Glasgow said.

 

When police arrived, it was obvious the girl was dead "for some time," said Joliet Police Chief Fred Hayes.

 

An autopsy determined that she died of "diphenhydramine intoxication," he said.

 

An autopsy showed that the level of the medication given to the girl poisoned her "at a level toxic even for an adult," Hayes noted.

 

Police and prosecutors conducted an "exhaustive investigation" of the incident before filing charges, Glasgow said. "I was profoundly saddened and troubled by the death of this innocent little girl."

 

A judge on Tuesday approved an arrest warrant for Campbell-Merker and set bail at $2 million. The woman surrendered to Joliet police Tuesday afternoon and was taken to the Will County jail, Glasgow said.

[Texsox]

Steff, you are so right. Why can't people do the right thing? Children love their parents unconditionaly at that age and to have the mother do something like that is just unbelievable.