BREAST-FEEDING METH USER PLEADS GUILTY

A woman accused of killing her infant son by passing methamphetamine
to him through her breast milk was sentenced to four years in prison
Tuesday after pleading guilty to felony child endangerment.

Cynthia Ann Pinson, 39, of Orange admitted to Orange County Superior
Court Judge Richard F. Toohey that she used the drug before
breast-feeding her 6-week-old son. Prosecutors dropped a lesser charge
of involuntary manslaughter.

The case was among a handful nationwide in which mothers have been
charged with poisoning their babies by using drugs while nursing.

"This is not the first case of a mother passing an illegal and
dangerous drug to her child in breast milk," said Orange County Deputy
District Attorney Elizabeth Henderson. "We had one a few years aback
that involved cocaine. I think this case reflects the growing use of
methamphetamine, there is so much of it being used these days."

Robert Henry Sage was found unconscious in his Oct. 26, 1996, and died
a short time later. The death was attributed to Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome, or SIDS, but Pinson later admitted using
methamphetamine.

Charges were brought more than a year later, when toxicology tests
showed that the drug had contributed to the death, Henderson said.

Deputy Public Defender Marne Glass said she was ready to defend Pinson
against the manslaughter charge.

"Our expert was prepared to testify that the methamphetamine was not
the cause of death," Glass said.

Pinson could be released in 16 months with credit for time served and
good behavior, Glass said.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry