There are things in this world that are taboo everywhere, one would think that feeding your child a highly dangerous narcotic would fall on this list, but apparently not to 27-year-old Rachel Ball and her boyfriend, 34-year-old Joshua Bennett in the state of New York. Both have been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, and assault of 13-month-old Kayleigh Cassell after the baby died from ingesting heroin and cocaine.
There have been many stories where a child accidentally gets into the drugs or a mother will breastfeed shortly after taking the narcotics, but to intentionally feed your child the drugs is just inhumane. This only goes to show what long term use will do to a person’s brain; things that you would never normally even consider become natural.
When taking drugs they first attack the part of your brain that’s responsible for your morals and values. The more drugs you take, the more connections that are lost, the only thing that starts to matter is the next high. As seen, this can be fatal for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
Though they couldn’t be charged with intentionally killing the baby, the charges claim they had “depraved indifference to human life.” Police believe that the couple had been intentionally giving the child the drugs but don’t have enough evidence to support this claim.
After the drugs take over the frontal lobe, they move to the mid-brain that’s responsible for the reward pleasure feedback, memory, and emotional processes. If the mother had been taking the drugs as long as police believe than it’s more than possible for the drugs to have affected this part of the brain. this could explain why the mother had no emotional reaction to the death of her child. It is possible that she wouldn’t have felt responsible and the connection between mother and child would have been non-existent. By no means does this excuse her from the death, but it does explain what may have been going on in her brain long before the death even occurred.
They are both being charged with tampering with evidence after allegedly giving the baby a bath and changing both her diapers and clothes after she was already deceased.
Dr. Micheal Sikirica, the forensic pathologist, said that Cassell died of pneumonia and respiratory failure. From his professional experience, the pneumonia resulted from months of exposure to the drug.
For more information on overdose; its signs and symptoms and true stories of overdose, click here.
34 comments
This is indeed a punishable offence. It happened as a result of drug intoxication.
This singular act is so wrong on all forts. They need to be cleansed from drug abuse and reorientated .
Its inhumane to allow such thing happen to an innocent baby, it pained me reading this. We should be careful where we place drugs or what we eat of smoke during breastfeeding
Parents should be careful of their actions and inactions. These may affect the life of their children.
I don’t understand how people will expose their baby to drugs. what were they thinking? This is just terrible. The negative effect of heroine and cocaine on adults cannot be overemphasized not to talk of a harmless baby. I just hope they get the punishment the deserve
Insensitivity of parents can lead to the death of their children. Let us be careful of our ways of life.
That’s very pathetic one indeed. The two young parents didn’t try at all. Taking such kind of hard drug around the presence of a child is dangerous, because it’s flame that is very much power will be inhaled inside the body of the child, and the child isn’t strong to stand it’s pressure. That’s what led to the baby’s premature death.
This is really bad, I can’t pen down what I feel. So sad, it’s really inhuman. I wish all mothers will care for what they eat or drink during and after pregnancy
This is barbaric and in-human, how can a mother give drugs to a 13 months old baby. No human feeling on the part of the mother, this is so sad this is how drugs keep you numb to things happening around you. Thank God she was arrested, she should go and reflect on her life in jail. Detox thanks for sharing.
It is very disheartening hearing such news and the experience of the child before death. Being expose to drugs affect the brain and other things. I’m really sorry for the news.
This is heartbreaking, disheartening. How could a mother do this to her unborn baby. No excuse is acceptable here more reason we shouldn’t do drugs
Parents should avoid self medication for their babies because what you don’t know you don’t know . Overdose kills
Seriously? are they that dumb that taking drugs will surely affect the child if she is breastfeeding. In the first place, STOP TAKING DRUGS! my God, I really feel smart whenever I read an article like this. This gets my blood boil
This is so inhuman, how a person can do this? He or she is total crazy, they have no right to be a parent
What a wicked act!
I hope the two parents are well dealt with. Falling victim to drugs is something terrible already, now feeding a tender baby with it, is wickedness.
The article suggests that they tried to hide the evidence by tampering it. This alone shows that they never felt any remorse for it. They were both adults and they were responsible for their actions. The article correctly suggests that they never felt any emotions because their brains were damaged due to consistent drug usage. This alone shows why we should always staty away from drugs. People should also watchout for people who are addicted to drugs and who have infants because such people may harm their newborn.
Oh wow, what a horrible crime. It always breaks my heart when children have to suffer abuse from adults, but this is probably the worst story I’ve read.
Oh my God,the baby is special gift from God,why they still used Narcotic and big fatal impact happen to her baby,
This story makes me sick to my stomach. Every life is so precious and was clearly wasted away here with no regard for human decency. I’m in utter shock and hope I never have to read anything like this again.
What a wicked life. This is preposterous to an innocent baby. May God have mercy. They should both be dealt with as this will serve as a deterrent to others.
This news is very disturbing towards the youth. Overdose of drug stuff is very dangerous and I still wonder how this tragedy happened.
I have heard of people dying of overdose bur a baby? Wow!!! This is just sad, It seems parenting is not for everyone after all. This is just heartbreaking,
This is really sad to read, how can you give a baby drugs? Oh my god, this baby’s life was cut short for no reason what so ever. I hope the parents get what they deserve. This is very painful.
Alcohol and drugs are very worst thing in this world .People should understand that these type of things may lead them to death also.Alcohol or any other type of drugs are very dangerous for our immune system.
Parents should be careful of that otherwise they have to accept the bad result. baby is a form of god , don’t behave like this .
Poor baby ;( It is just inhumane to intentionally feed your child with drugs. Justice for this poor kid
. The negative effect of heroine and cocaine on adults cannot be overemphasized not to talk of a harmless baby. They were both adults and they were responsible for their actions. The article correctly suggests that they never felt any emotions because their brains were damaged due to consistent drug usage.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Honestly speaking, this is a pathetic and touching story! How could parents be so careless to the extent that innocent children would swallow? Consequently, parents are strongly advised to be more watchful to avoid exposing the babies to avoidable dangers.
This act of carelessness by parents should be highly condemned. Let’s guide our innocent babies against untimely loss of life. Prevention is better than cure!
This is an educative, informative and detailed piece of work.
I felt really enlightened
It is the responsibility of the parent to look after a kid. It is the right thing to do as a parent.
Taking drugs is bad, we all know that. But giving it to an infant is inhumane and so bad. It’s best to stay away from drugs. Aghhh.
This is so sad to read. Drugs haven’t done anything good for you so as a child. If you want it for yourself then don’t let any innocent experience it.