Florida Mothers Arrested After Heroin Overdose with Babies Nearby
On Thursday, two mothers went to a parking garage after buying $60 worth of heroin. When Schweinhart began to overdose, O’Connor called 911 but started convulsing.
“Fortunately, there was a Good Samaritan nearby who saw all of this happening and took the phone from her to speak with dispatchers,” wrote Boynton Beach police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater in a Facebook post. The women were taken to the hospital and charged with child neglect upon release.
Kristen Leigh O’Connor, 27, of Coral Springs, and June Ann Schweinhart, 28, of Lake Worth, became friends after meeting at a drug treatment program and finding out that their babies were due on the same day. Their babies were born four days apart, and less than two months later, the mothers both overdosed on heroin together while their babies were in the backseat of a car.
Family members of the two women have now taken custody of the newborns. O’Connor, who was released on $4,500 bond, can only see her baby if her mother is present. Schweinhart, if she makes bail, can have contact with her baby if another adult is present.
“This is an incredibly tragic situation and ultimately, the ones most affected by this are those innocent, beautiful babies,” continued the Boynton Beach police Facebook post announcing the arrests. “We hope this serves as a wake-up call for these moms, and that they seek further treatment for their addiction. We sincerely with them all the best.”
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