Girl tested positive for meth after living with dad; now in custody of mom (Napier, New Zealand)

Former custodial dad ROBERT PEARSON has been jailed for meth manufacturing, receiving stolen property, and willful ill-treatment of a child. His daughter tested positive for meth as well. Not answered here: Why was this child in her father's custody? If it's okay for her to be in her mother's custody now, then why wasn't she in her mother's custody all along? Who made that decision? Given that Daddy has been identified as having a meth problem for the past 1o years, it's absoluting beyond belief that any sane person would have given him custody.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/girl-tested-positive-p-after-living-father-3814510

Girl tested positive for P after living with father Published: 8:23AM Saturday October 02, 2010
Source: NZPA

The father of a 12-year-old girl who tested positive for methamphetamine after living with him at a Napier house where P was made has been jailed.

Robert Pearson, 41, appeared for sentence in Napier District Court on Thursday after earlier admitting allowing his Taradale home to be used for the manufacture of methamphetamine, wilful ill-treatment of a child, and receiving stolen property.

Police searched the house and garage last year, finding a clandestine laboratory, numerous tools that formed part of a "methamphetamine kit", chemicals and other substances, Hawke's Bay Today reported.

Holes dug in the backyard contained burnt pill capsules which had contained pseudoephedrine, an ingredient in making P.

Crown prosecutor Steve Manning said that tests revealed the girl's hair showed a low level of methamphetamine, an aggravating factor in the case.

Judge Patrick Treston said the offending was centred around July, 2009 when Pearson allowed a friend to move into his home to cook P.

He said Pearson had used methamphetamine for about 10 years and "allowed someone else to manufacture methamphetamine as a way of feeding your own addiction".

He jailed Pearson for 23 months imprisonment with conditions requiring he attend drug counselling for six months after release.

His daughter was now in the care of her mother.