Dad arrested after 15-month-old son ingests meth (Santa Cruz, California)

Dad JEREMY OCHOA is separated from the mother of their 15-month-old son. But while Dad was "visiting" the child at Mom's house, the child "inadvertently accessed" dad's meth supply. Mom took the child to the hospital as soon as he started to exhibit "strange behavior," and she kicked Dad out of the house once she figured out he was under the influence. Seems Dad was previously under probation for drugs, so he was arrested. But CPS took custody of the child anyway.

Can't win for losing. Had she not allowed the dad to see the child, she may very well have been accused of being an "alienator" who was unfairly "gatekeeping" this poor daddy out of the child's life.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/22056650/detail.html

Santa Cruz Police Arrest Man Whose 15-Month Old Injested Meth
Posted: 5:22 pm PST December 24, 2009

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Santa Cruz police arrested Wednesday evening the 28-year-old father of a 15-month-old child who was found to have ingested methamphetamine earlier this week.

Jeremy Ochoa was arrested for child endangerment after the incident, which occurred Monday when the boy was taken to Dominican Hospital by his mother after exhibiting strange behavior, according to police.

Hospital staff called police later that night after the child's urine revealed traces of methamphetamine.

Detectives believe Ochoa was the source of the drugs, which the child inadvertently accessed in the home when Ochoa visited it on Monday. Ochoa and the child's mother are separated, police said.

Ochoa admitted he was under the influence of methamphetamine during the visit, and when the child's mother discovered he was under the influence, she kicked him out of the house, according to police.

It was shortly after Ochoa's visit that the child began acting unusual. He has since recovered and was released to the custody of Child Protective Services Wednesday. He did not display any sign of injury or abuse, police said.

Ochoa was found and arrested on Wednesday. He was currently on probation for drug-related offenses, according to police.

Child Protective Services will retain custody of the child until a custody hearing later this month.

Capt. Steve Clark said in a statement that the "number one priority in a case of this nature is to ensure the child is safe and no longer exposed to a dangerous situation or location."

Clark said, "Our subsequent investigation is intended to address accountability for those responsible in creating the dangerous situation."