Indianapolis—
An Indianapolis woman is facing charges of child neglect, after police say her nearly 2-year-old son suffered the effects of alcohol poisoning.Shaila Ervin, 20, is being held on a $40,000 bond after her son, Jamiene Clark was rushed to Methodist Hospital after drinking an undetermined amount of alcohol and becoming unconscious.
Metro Police say Ervin called 911 Wednesday afternoon after she had fallen asleep with the child in her bed. She told investigators the boy drank from a water bottle that was filled with “an alcoholic beverage.” Police believe it was an accident, but found Ervin neglectful.
Dr. Brent Furbee, the medical director of the Indiana Poison Center, says alcohol poisoning is not uncommon in Indianapolis.
"Kids will get what they can get their hands on,” Furbee said. “Sometimes we look at that and say that wouldn't taste good, you wouldn't expect them to drink that, but you can’t predict these things.”
It's unclear what Jamiene drank, but with a child around 30 pounds, it wouldn't take much to threaten his health.
"They'll have trouble walking, focusing on things, they'll become sleepy then the big problem is if heir system becomes so depressed, they stop breathing,” Furbee said.
Information was not being released on the child’s condition, at the request of his family.
Police say the rest of the children are in the care of relatives.
