NICHOLAS ODZE - 4 yo (2009)/ Charged: Mother; Raisa Bernabe - Coral Springs FL

Mom Accused In Son's Death Bonds Out Of Jail - cbs4.com
http://cbs4.com/local/Raisa.Bernabe.Lunesta.2.1822694.html

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Recently in Wrongful Death Category

July 26, 2010

Lunesta-Dangerous for Children


Recent studies show that pediatric use of prescription medication is at all time levels. Medco Health Solutions reports that the increase is nearly four times higher than the overall population.
As a Miami product liability and wrongful death attorney, I am concerned that parents may innocently give their children adult prescription medication without knowing the affects. Lunesta, the prescription sleep aid is made by Sepracor, Inc.; and buried in its Medication Guide, it says "Lunesta is not for children."

This warning is on page two of four pages, not in bold letters nor listed under the "most important information" the manufacturer wants users to know.
Many parents, who have prescription medication at home, simply may not know the harmful and potentially lethal affects that Lunesta or other medications may have on children.
To prevent another child from being harmed drug companies should do the following:
1. Place warnings written in bold, bright red letters and on bottle labels.
2. Create a universal icon with a child and a round circle with a red strike should be on every prescription drug not suited for children.
It is my hope as a lawyer and a parent, that no one will mistakenly believe that Lunesta or other medications can safely be given to children.

How often are child psychiatrists prescribing sleeping pills?
According to new research, insomnia in children is a widespread problem,
and psychiatrists often resort to medication.
Dr. Judith Owens from the Brown Medical School in Providence and her
colleagues found that in a survey of child psychiatrists, ”insomnia was a
major problem in almost a third of their school-aged and adolescent
patients and (they) endorsed using medication to treat the insomnia in
at least a quarter of these patients.”
Insomnia in children has been linked to a wide variety of medical, psychological
and behavioral problems, including neurodevopmental problems, ADHD,
poor concentration in school, aggressive behavior, oppositional behavior, and anxiety.
Up to 25 percent may have difficulty sleeping at some point in
childhood. Causes can vary widely but include medical and neurological
conditions as well as psychological disorders. In addition to
medication, treatment options include improved sleep hygiene
(careful attention to bedtime conditions that promote sleep),
relaxation techniques, meditation, hypnosis, and cognitive behavioral
therapy. At present there are no FDA-approved sleep medications for children.

Yes, but she has been released on bond.....Grrrrr!

TomTerrific0420 wrote:How often are child psychiatrists prescribing sleeping pills?
According to new research, insomnia in children is a widespread problem,
and psychiatrists often resort to medication.
Dr. Judith Owens from the Brown Medical School in Providence and her
colleagues found that in a survey of child psychiatrists, ”insomnia was a
major problem in almost a third of their school-aged and adolescent
patients and (they) endorsed using medication to treat the insomnia in
at least a quarter of these patients.”
Insomnia in children has been linked to a wide variety of medical, psychological
and behavioral problems, including neurodevopmental problems, ADHD,
poor concentration in school, aggressive behavior, oppositional behavior, and anxiety.
Up to 25 percent may have difficulty sleeping at some point in
childhood. Causes can vary widely but include medical and neurological
conditions as well as psychological disorders. In addition to
medication, treatment options include improved sleep hygiene
(careful attention to bedtime conditions that promote sleep),
relaxation techniques, meditation, hypnosis, and cognitive behavioral
therapy. At present there are no FDA-approved sleep medications for children.

It makes me mad to read this Tom. Maybe there is 1 in a million kids with a rare disease/disorder who cannot sleep but it sounds like psychiatrists are medicating kids whose useless parents probably give them chocolate and pop drinks all evening. We keep reading about professionals and their ridiculous bi-polar diagnoses of toddlers etc; and now sleeping pills for children. That is child abuse as far as I'm concerned.

kiwimom wrote:

TomTerrific0420 wrote:How often are child psychiatrists prescribing sleeping pills?
According to new research, insomnia in children is a widespread problem,
and psychiatrists often resort to medication.
Dr. Judith Owens from the Brown Medical School in Providence and her
colleagues found that in a survey of child psychiatrists, ”insomnia was a
major problem in almost a third of their school-aged and adolescent
patients and (they) endorsed using medication to treat the insomnia in
at least a quarter of these patients.”
Insomnia in children has been linked to a wide variety of medical, psychological
and behavioral problems, including neurodevopmental problems, ADHD,
poor concentration in school, aggressive behavior, oppositional behavior, and anxiety.
Up to 25 percent may have difficulty sleeping at some point in
childhood. Causes can vary widely but include medical and neurological
conditions as well as psychological disorders. In addition to
medication, treatment options include improved sleep hygiene
(careful attention to bedtime conditions that promote sleep),
relaxation techniques, meditation, hypnosis, and cognitive behavioral
therapy. At present there are no FDA-approved sleep medications for children.

It makes me mad to read this Tom. Maybe there is 1 in a million kids with a rare disease/disorder who cannot sleep but it sounds like psychiatrists are medicating kids whose useless parents probably give them chocolate and pop drinks all evening. We keep reading about professionals and their ridiculous bi-polar diagnoses of toddlers etc; and now sleeping pills for children. That is child abuse as far as I'm concerned.

Have to agree with you Kiwi, people want kids but, don't want to take care of them. Teachers are big on having kids "medicated" so that they have quiet classrooms and kids act like robots. I think it's time to let kids be kids, anymore they want them to be adults when they come out of the womb, really sad situation.

Mayo on the Side



Parenting 101: Don't give kids adult prescription drugs


by: Michael Mayo July 23, 2010 09:00 AM

As the father of a 4-year-old, the story about a Broward mother charged with manslaughter after allegedly giving her young son the prescription sleep drug Lunesta just floors me.
I mean, what kind of parent does that?
Throw in the oxycodone and oxymorphone found in 4-year-old Nicholas Odze's system after his death last September, and it's simply mind-blowing.
Raisa Bernabe has been charged in her son's death, after she allegedly told Coral Springs police that she gave Nicholas a Lunesta pill because he had sleep problems.
Uh, whatever happened to warm milk, one more soothing bedtime story and a relaxing backscratch?
Look, my wife and I have had our share of nighttime battles with our daughter. Sometimes Natalia doesn't want to go to sleep. Sometime she keeps popping out of her room all through the night.
On some occasions, if she's coughing or complaining of a sore throat or headache, we give her a spoonful of honey and a dose of children's ibuprofen (generic, since there was a recent recall of Children's Motrin).
Or, if her skin rashes flare up, we put on the prescription ointment a dermatologist prescribed her and give her a dose of generic children's Benadryl (the brand name version also was recently recalled).
We'd never think of giving her a drug prescribed to us, much less a powerful sleeping pill meant for adults.
If the mother did in fact give her son the drug, there are only two disturbing explanations: Either Bernabe had no idea what she was doing, which means she had no business being a parent in the first place. Or maybe she knew exactly what she was doing, which is even more chilling.
This case is tragic proof that you can't legislate common sense.
But sometimes we have to punish the lack of it.
Rest in peace, Nicholas.

What's this about "coke"? Look at Count 2... It plainly says that she is charged with providing a person under the age of 18 with cocaine...doesn't it?

TomTerrific0420 wrote:What's this about "coke"? Look at Count 2... It plainly says that she is charged with providing a person under the age of 18 with cocaine...doesn't it?

That's what it looks like Tom. Cannot for the life of me, figure out how she's out on bond, it makes no sense. She killed her child but had a bond so low that she could get out.

alwaysbelieve wrote:

TomTerrific0420 wrote:What's this about "coke"? Look at Count 2... It plainly says that she is charged with providing a person under the age of 18 with cocaine...doesn't it?

That's what it looks like Tom. Cannot for the life of me, figure out how she's out on bond, it makes no sense. She killed her child but had a bond so low that she could get out.

Yep, that's what it says alright. Apart from that I suspect they were selling prescription drugs. They had enough to open a drug store. 68 bottles were taken from the house.

You know, Kiwi--- you are brilliant! I never thought of that. No Med Pro (or group of them) would have a patient on 68 meds at once! Even my 87 yo uncle only has about 15 or 20 different ones. There's a term for that, when you keep shopping your illness at different Dr's and go to different pharmacies....Smart thinkin' gurl!

TomTerrific0420 wrote:You know, Kiwi--- you are brilliant! I never thought of that. No Med Pro (or group of them) would have a patient on 68 meds at once! Even my 87 yo uncle only has about 15 or 20 different ones. There's a term for that, when you keep shopping your illness at different Dr's and go to different pharmacies....Smart thinkin' gurl!

If that's the case, news accounts say nearly all of the medications had been prescribed to Odze, so if he was "Dr. Shopping" why isn't he facing drug charges?

mom_in_il wrote:

TomTerrific0420 wrote:You know, Kiwi--- you are brilliant! I never thought of that. No Med Pro (or group of them) would have a patient on 68 meds at once! Even my 87 yo uncle only has about 15 or 20 different ones. There's a term for that, when you keep shopping your illness at different Dr's and go to different pharmacies....Smart thinkin' gurl!

If that's the case, news accounts say nearly all of the medications had been prescribed to Odze, so if he was "Dr. Shopping" why isn't he facing drug charges?

---Cannot answer that. Do keep in mind though that he is former LE, albeit from a different part of the country. I do believe he should have, at least, a negligence charge lodged against him for keeping all those meds so open and readily available to Nicky. I still do not believe that Nick took anything on his own, Everything in his system was "prescribed" by Dr. Eraser!

mermaid55 wrote:Mayo on the Side



Parenting 101: Don't give kids adult prescription drugs


by: Michael Mayo July 23, 2010 09:00 AM

As the father of a 4-year-old, the story about a Broward mother charged with manslaughter after allegedly giving her young son the prescription sleep drug Lunesta just floors me.
I mean, what kind of parent does that?
Throw in the oxycodone and oxymorphone found in 4-year-old Nicholas Odze's system after his death last September, and it's simply mind-blowing.
Raisa Bernabe has been charged in her son's death, after she allegedly told Coral Springs police that she gave Nicholas a Lunesta pill because he had sleep problems.
Uh, whatever happened to warm milk, one more soothing bedtime story and a relaxing backscratch?
Look, my wife and I have had our share of nighttime battles with our daughter. Sometimes Natalia doesn't want to go to sleep. Sometime she keeps popping out of her room all through the night.
On some occasions, if she's coughing or complaining of a sore throat or headache, we give her a spoonful of honey and a dose of children's ibuprofen (generic, since there was a recent recall of Children's Motrin).
Or, if her skin rashes flare up, we put on the prescription ointment a dermatologist prescribed her and give her a dose of generic children's Benadryl (the brand name version also was recently recalled).
We'd never think of giving her a drug prescribed to us, much less a powerful sleeping pill meant for adults.
If the mother did in fact give her son the drug, there are only two disturbing explanations: Either Bernabe had no idea what she was doing, which means she had no business being a parent in the first place. Or maybe she knew exactly what she was doing, which is even more chilling.
This case is tragic proof that you can't legislate common sense.
But sometimes we have to punish the lack of it.
Rest in peace, Nicholas.

I wish I could comment. Thanks for keeping this story alive. RIP Nicky....

Admin wrote:

mermaid55 wrote:Mayo on the Side



Parenting 101: Don't give kids adult prescription drugs


by: Michael Mayo July 23, 2010 09:00 AM

As the father of a 4-year-old, the story about a Broward mother charged with manslaughter after allegedly giving her young son the prescription sleep drug Lunesta just floors me.
I mean, what kind of parent does that?
Throw in the oxycodone and oxymorphone found in 4-year-old Nicholas Odze's system after his death last September, and it's simply mind-blowing.
Raisa Bernabe has been charged in her son's death, after she allegedly told Coral Springs police that she gave Nicholas a Lunesta pill because he had sleep problems.
Uh, whatever happened to warm milk, one more soothing bedtime story and a relaxing backscratch?
Look, my wife and I have had our share of nighttime battles with our daughter. Sometimes Natalia doesn't want to go to sleep. Sometime she keeps popping out of her room all through the night.
On some occasions, if she's coughing or complaining of a sore throat or headache, we give her a spoonful of honey and a dose of children's ibuprofen (generic, since there was a recent recall of Children's Motrin).
Or, if her skin rashes flare up, we put on the prescription ointment a dermatologist prescribed her and give her a dose of generic children's Benadryl (the brand name version also was recently recalled).
We'd never think of giving her a drug prescribed to us, much less a powerful sleeping pill meant for adults.
If the mother did in fact give her son the drug, there are only two disturbing explanations: Either Bernabe had no idea what she was doing, which means she had no business being a parent in the first place. Or maybe she knew exactly what she was doing, which is even more chilling.
This case is tragic proof that you can't legislate common sense.
But sometimes we have to punish the lack of it.
Rest in peace, Nicholas.

I wish I could comment. Thanks for keeping this story alive. RIP Nicky....

Why can't you comment??

Comments


C'mon, boyfriend has 68 prescription drug bottles? He's a druggie, she's probably a druggie, but neither would admit to it because everything they have is "legal".
What's with the photos? She has a blackeye and that awful picture of the child is the best they could supply the news???
Just another case of allowing human trash to breed and an innocent child pays the price.



Posted by: KCK | July 23, 2010 9:47 AM

@KCK --
According to the news story, the boy's father, Allan Odze, is a retired police officer from New York. The mother was an assistant to the Coconut Creek city manager.
Without knowing his past (injuries, on-the-job indidents/trauma) I don't want to jump to any conclusions about why the father had so many prescriptions.



Posted by: Michael Mayo | July 23, 2010 10:41 AM

Jump to conclusions? Come on, Michael - 68 prescription bottles + child-proof bottle caps = how the heck did a 4 year-old child open any of those bottles!
And, why is the now-absent father not charged for having his mini drug store within reach of his son?
No conclusions but one hell of a questionable 'adult' supervison scenario. Yet another example of the need for a license to parent.



Posted by: TS | July 23, 2010 1:51 PM

Mike, I am married to someone who was born in another country. I am shocked beyond belief at the ease with which my spouse's family takes pills for anything and everything, gives them to relatives not knowing what might happen, and takes it upon themselves to regulate the dosage.
They are in a complete and total state of denial as to what these things can do.
I've seen them admitted to hospitals near death because they just "decided" to decrease or increase the dosage of a critical prescription.
Some of the elderly ones have passed out for seemingly no reason, until upon further investigation, it is revealed that a relative screwed around with the dosage in order to try to manipulate some desired outcome.
They also do some very weird and wacky things to get kids to sleep at night, things that I wouldn't DREAM of...
I'm not saying that they would give a 4-year old powerful prescriptions, but if they gave one of them a low dosage or half a pill once and it worked out OK then they would have full confidence that they could do it again...
Yes, it's hard to believe, but some people just don't heed the warnings and don't think that it's any big deal to pass out prescription pills like candy...it's almost like they think they're in the US now and nothing bad can happen to them here. I've seen it first-hand it's downright bizarre.
Not sure if that is the case here, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least.



Posted by: Florida native | July 24, 2010 2:14 PM



http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/mayo/blog/2010/07/parenting_101_dont_give_kids_a.html#comments

Mom Accused In Son's Death Pleads Not Guilty
http://cbs4.com/local/Raisa.Bernabe.Lunesta.2.1862238.html

A South Florida mother arrested and charged with manslaughter in the death of her young child says she's not guilty.

Raisa Bernabe, who is out of jail on bond, did not appear at her court
hearing Monday morning. Instead, her lawyer entered a written plea of
not guilty.

Bernabe is accused of giving a prescription drug to her four year old
son Nicholas Odze last September. The boy's father found him unconscious
in their Coral Springs apartment.

The Broward Medical Examiner's Office ruled that Nicholas died from an
overdose of eszopiclone, a prescription sleep aid sold under the brand
name Lunesta.

Toxicology tests also found the child had ingested ibuprofen and the
prescription pain substances oxycodone and oxymorphone before his death,
according to a medical examiner report.

According to the police report, Bernabe admitted that she gave her son a
Lunesta pill the night of Sept. 9 because he had not been able to stay
asleep the previous two nights.

The boy's mother also told police that after giving her son the Lunesta pill she left the child and went into the kitchen.

Fifteen minutes later she "found him in the master bedroom with several
open prescription pill bottles." The mother told police she did not know
if the child ingested any of the pills.

The child's father, Allan Odze, found the toddler unresponsive in his bed the next morning, police said.

The Medical Examiner's Office classified the toddler's death a homicide, based on Bernabe's statements.

When detectives searched the family's apartment on September 10th, they
found 68 prescription pill bottles, according to court records. Nearly
all the medications, including the Lunesta, had been prescribed to Odze.


The drug has not been tested in children and is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for pediatric use.

In addition to manslaughter, Bernabe also has been charged with delivery
of a controlled substance to a minor and knowing sale or transfer of
prescription drug to an unauthorized person, authorities said.

It's a pity they haven't charged her with 1st degree murder because I don't believe Nicholas took the other pills by himself. IMO Raisa gave him all of them, not just the Lunesta she admitted to.

Maid of the Mer~ Thanks my little underwater friend for keeping an eye on this one. I don't know where you are getting those fancy charts but keep 'em coming!