Woman pleads guilty in drunken breast-feeding case
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — A North Dakota woman accused of breast-feeding her 6-week-old baby while drunk has pleaded guilty to child neglect. Stacey Anvarinia, 36, could face up to five years in prison when she's sentenced on the felony charge in August.
Judge Sonja Clapp says Anvarinia will not have to register as an offender against children.
Police officers who responded to a domestic disturbance call at Anvarinia's home on April 13 say they saw an intoxicated Anvarinia breast feeding. Health officials say alcohol consumed by breast-feeding mothers can be absorbed into an infant's system.
Attorneys believe it's the first such case prosecuted in North Dakota
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16 comments:
Fair.
Everyone knows that whatever a nursing mother consumes goes straight thru to the baby.
5 years for that? naa, she dont need a baby in the first place. There are plenty of people out there that would love to take in a child that dont smoke. Bad mother!
Yes, she should be punished. But taking her from her child for 5 years? How about getting her into a treatment plan?
It's also ridiculous to have her register as an offender against children. Makes her sound like a predator.
OMG, what a stupid woman! If stupid were a crime, she would have lot of company in jail.
You can actually buy test strips to see if your breast milk contains alcohol... unbelievable. How unresponsible can people be with and around their infants?!?
Sorry - I misread. She will NOT have to register. The only thing that makes any sense in this story.
What about the domestic disturbance the child was subjected to? Was she neglecting the child by becoming involved in an altercation because she was intoxicated? It is obvious alcohol is passed through breast milk, so that is neglect, but the full story is missing as to why the police where originally called to the home.
If she has a drinking problem she should be subjected to random alcohol testing until she is sentenced to be sure she is not infecting her child again.
Story says that she "could face up to 5 years in prison." Chances are, she'll get only months of a 5 year sentence - if that. Most likely, she'll get a probation term.
I'm not sure why people are taking this so lightly. If a teenager were drunk and committed a crime, you'd all be screaming. This woman is doing the equivalent of injecting a child with a drug. It's abusive. Alcohol greatly affects brain development. Infants are completely dependant on their parents/caregivers. This poor baby has no voice.
The baby should have been taken. Would we be so lenient if it were a heroin addict injecting the baby? Same difference.
No its not, not even close.
The police should make surprise visits to her home or work and check her alcolhol level. Perhaps they could install a video camera in her home so they can monitor what she does around the infant. These are just options. With all of the technology we have now, there is no excuse for something bad happening to an infant.
Yea great idea. If its anywhere like here, I'm sure the police have nothing better to do than keep an eye on every alcoholic with children they deal with.
I think this woman is a fool. What I can't understand is, if the baby was not born yet and she was still pregnant and she was drunk would she still have been charged with the same thing?
More cameras, truth serum, lye detectors tests, water boarding, all of these can be used on people to make sure nothing bad ever happens . . .
11:28 - alcohol, too, is a drug. There have been studies upon studies showing the effects on the infant brain. Breast feeding when drunk is like slipping drugs in your children's food. It's abusive and stupid. And, furthermore, completely unneccesary with formula and bottles available at all stores.
Those of you who think it isnt a big deal should Google "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome".No one said she could not drink at all-just not while she is nursing.If she cannot abstain from booze she needs to cough up the bucks to buy formula.
Outstanding. Make people accountable for thier actions, She wont get five years. If you want to breast feed stay sober. The kid did not ask to be born to a drunk. She should pay. maybe that why you are so liberal. You breast fed until 16 years of age
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