Emperor Salamander VII
10-03-2005, 08:13
Baby given methadone 'for teething pain' (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12501622-1242,00.html)
A MOTHER accused of manslaughter may have given her toddler methadone to soothe his teething pain, the New South Wales Supreme Court was told today.
Holly Davies, 29, and Michael Partridge, 40, have pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of their 18-month-old son Brent Partridge, found dead from a methadone overdose in their Kogarah unit, in Sydney, on November 14, 1995.
Both parents were on a methadone program at the time.
Kathryn Michelle Adams, who has a child with Davies' brother, was questioned in the NSW Supreme Court over statements she made to police in 2002 and to a 2003 coronial inquiry into Brent's death.
Ms Adams first said Davies had told her Brent must have picked up a bottle of methadone he found lying around and "induced" (sic) it "because she didn't deliberately dose her baby with methadone".
"(Davies) didn't know if it was her bottle or somebody else's in the flat," Ms Adams said.
Ms Adams said she had previously told police Davies had wanted to have a rest on the day of Brent's death and "the baby wouldn't rest and that's why she gave him some to sleep".
She said Davies was "angry and upset" because Mr Partridge had wanted to take Brent to his other son's birthday that day.
Later, Ms Adams said: "I've since realised (Brent) was in teething pain and I could have told the police she gave him some (methadone) to calm him down".
Questioned further, Ms Adams said she visited Brent's grave with Davies shortly after the boy's death.
As they laid flowers, she asked Davies about Brent's death.
"I wanted to know how he died," she said.
Ms Adams said Davies had mentioned the boy had been suffering teething pain.
"That's why I thought the methadone had been given to him," Ms Adams said.
"The child was crying because he had teething pain or some kind of pain and that was why he was given the methadone to soothe him, not to hurt him."
Ms Adams said her memory was often confused because she had smoked cannabis in the past and was on anti-depressants, valium and morphine-based painkillers.
In other evidence, an acquaintance of Davies, Alexandra McFarlane, said she went to see Davies on the day of Brent's death.
Ms McFarlane said Davies later told her the boy climbed onto her lap for a cuddle but Davies "nodded off over the top of him" and when she woke up Brent was cold.
She said Davies had taken six to eight Rohypnols and 200-400mg of methadone.
The trial, being heard by Justice David Kirby without a jury, continues tomorrow.
A MOTHER accused of manslaughter may have given her toddler methadone to soothe his teething pain, the New South Wales Supreme Court was told today.
Holly Davies, 29, and Michael Partridge, 40, have pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of their 18-month-old son Brent Partridge, found dead from a methadone overdose in their Kogarah unit, in Sydney, on November 14, 1995.
Both parents were on a methadone program at the time.
Kathryn Michelle Adams, who has a child with Davies' brother, was questioned in the NSW Supreme Court over statements she made to police in 2002 and to a 2003 coronial inquiry into Brent's death.
Ms Adams first said Davies had told her Brent must have picked up a bottle of methadone he found lying around and "induced" (sic) it "because she didn't deliberately dose her baby with methadone".
"(Davies) didn't know if it was her bottle or somebody else's in the flat," Ms Adams said.
Ms Adams said she had previously told police Davies had wanted to have a rest on the day of Brent's death and "the baby wouldn't rest and that's why she gave him some to sleep".
She said Davies was "angry and upset" because Mr Partridge had wanted to take Brent to his other son's birthday that day.
Later, Ms Adams said: "I've since realised (Brent) was in teething pain and I could have told the police she gave him some (methadone) to calm him down".
Questioned further, Ms Adams said she visited Brent's grave with Davies shortly after the boy's death.
As they laid flowers, she asked Davies about Brent's death.
"I wanted to know how he died," she said.
Ms Adams said Davies had mentioned the boy had been suffering teething pain.
"That's why I thought the methadone had been given to him," Ms Adams said.
"The child was crying because he had teething pain or some kind of pain and that was why he was given the methadone to soothe him, not to hurt him."
Ms Adams said her memory was often confused because she had smoked cannabis in the past and was on anti-depressants, valium and morphine-based painkillers.
In other evidence, an acquaintance of Davies, Alexandra McFarlane, said she went to see Davies on the day of Brent's death.
Ms McFarlane said Davies later told her the boy climbed onto her lap for a cuddle but Davies "nodded off over the top of him" and when she woke up Brent was cold.
She said Davies had taken six to eight Rohypnols and 200-400mg of methadone.
The trial, being heard by Justice David Kirby without a jury, continues tomorrow.