Woman accused of giving birth at home to hide drug use

A 34-year-old Saukville woman accused of giving birth on Dec. 26 at home because she didn’t want doctors to see she uses drugs, then reportedly passing out and dropping the infant and failing to seek medical attention for the child, was charged Monday in Ozaukee County Circuit Court with child neglect.

The baby’s father, 36, who lives with the mother and baby, is also charged with neglecting a child. 

Ozaukee Press is not naming the mother and father to protect the child.

According to the criminal complaint, Ozaukee County Child Protective Services asked the Saukville Police Department on Jan. 4  to assist with an investigation into the child’s welfare after the agency received information that the baby was born at home because the mother used drugs. The complaint notes track marks — areas of discoloration caused by hypodermic needles associated with drug use — were reportedly seen on the mother’s arms and that the father also uses drugs.

The agency also received a report that in addition to the baby being dropped by the mother when she passed out, the father was seen throwing the infant into the air. Two other children also live in the home, the complaint states.

On Jan. 24, an officer and a case worker went to the mother and father’s home. The lights were on but no one came to the door when they knocked and rang the doorbell. 

Police watched the home overnight and saw no one come or go. 

The next day, the officer and case worker returned, and after several minutes of knocking, the mother came to the door carrying the baby.

The mother admitted giving birth to the baby at home without professional help, saying she wanted “to try it,” and although she initially said the infant had been seen by a doctor she later admitted the child had not been examined, according to the complaint.

The mother refused to allow the case worker to check her arms for track marks and would not submit to a urine test or have the baby examined by a doctor.

After some convincing, however, the mother agreed to have her child examined. The infant was taken to Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, but then transported to Children’s Hospital in Wauwatosa because of fluctuating oxygen levels and heart rate issues, the complaint states.

A doctor told police the infant had back and eye bruises that could have been caused by abuse or a blood problem related to the fact it hadn’t received a vitamin K shot, according to the complaint. The baby also was suffering from a severe case of thrush.

The doctor said unassisted home births are risky, and that water births not supervised by medical professionals, which is how the mother gave birth, are particularly dangerous. The doctor added that the circumstances of the home birth and the lack of medical care for the child constituted neglect in his opinion, the complaint states. Tests of the baby’s urine indicated it had nicotine and fentanyl, a synthetic opioid intended to treat severe pain that is also added to heroin to increase its potency, in its system.

The mother and father are scheduled to make their initial court appearance before Judge Sandy Williams on April 7.