Woman jailed for drugging children

Friday, October 10, 2008
A Cloverdale woman was arrested Thursday after her two young children allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine, methadone, cocaine and marijuana.
Amy Marie Reed, 26, is charged with two counts each of Class C felony neglect of a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor; Class D felony neglect of a dependent; and Class B misdemeanor interfering with a drug or alcohol screening test.

The charges against Reed stem from allegations made against her to the Putnam County Department of Child Services. Reed was arrested by Charles Bollinger, an investigator for the Putnam County Prosecutor's Office.

"The charges carry a possible sentence of 35 years," said Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter. "I deal with meth cases on almost a daily basis, but I have never seen an allegation involving meth and small children ingesting it." According to court documents, a Putnam County CPS caseworker received a report on Sept. 12, 2007 that Reed's 1-year-old child had eaten marijuana and that Reed "had laughed about the incident."
The caseworker interviewed Reed, who was six months pregnant. Reed told the caseworker she occasionally used meth and pot, but she "denied ingesting it around the victim," an affidavit of probable cause said.
According to the affidavit, Reed told the caseworker she didn't want the baby she was pregnant with, and that "if this baby dies, it will save me from going through an adoption."
On Sept. 14, 2007, hair samples were collected from Reed and her older child. Reed also submitted to urine testing.
At an interview that same day, Reed admitted to having used meth within 90 days prior and marijuana two weeks prior. She denied having joked about her child eating marijuana, court documents said. She admitted "she probably made the comments" to the caseworker about her unborn child.
Results from the hair samples came back on Sept. 19, 2007. Reed tested positive for marijuana, her child tested positive for marijuana and meth.
CPS took custody of the child that day, court documents said.
Prior to a child in need of services hearing on Sept. 20, 2007, Reed said her child should only have tested positive for marijuana. She suggested the hair samples must have been switched when they were collected.
On Feb. 4, 2008, Reed gave birth to her second child. That child was in CPS custody until April 14, when she was returned to Reed.
According to court documents, hair samples taken from from the younger child on May 29 and June 6 tested positive for cocaine, and blood drawn from her on June 12 tested positive for methadone.
On Sept. 25, Reed attempted to provide a false urine sample for a court-ordered drug test, court documents said. Reed told an interviewing officer she had falsified all the previous drug screens she had passed, court documents said.

Reed remains in Putnam County Jail, where she is being held without bond. No court dates have been set.