MASIA WRIGHT - 2 yo (2010) - Jacksonville FL

A 30-year-old woman is charged with aggravated manslaughter after a 2-year-old boy died after coming in contact with methadone she admitted leaving in a child's plastic drinking cup, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.The boy's father, Ernest Wright, said he was in school when it happened and he came to his home on Alta Drive on Nov. 15 to find his son unconscious.He took the boy to a hospital, where the boy was pronounced dead on arrival.
The autopsy revealed Masia Wright died from methadone toxicity and the medical examiner ruled the case a homicide.According to the arrest report, when interviewed by detectives on Monday, Dana Michell Anderson admitted to leaving a purple sippy cup with about 80 mg of methadone in it on the dresser of her bedroom.



Wright said that Anderson was not the boy's mother, but she had helped raise him since he was 3 months old. He believes his son must have seen the cup and thought there was juice inside."I know she loved my son and she wouldn't do anything like that," Wright said. "She just wasn't thinking."Police records show Anderson has several previous arrests, including several drug charges, petty theft and traffic charges.The Florida Department of Children and Families spokesman John Harrell said the agency was investigating Masia's death. Harrell said this is a tragic reminder that people be very careful about anything left within the reach of a children.

Woman Pleads Guilty In Child's OD Death


Father's Girlfriend Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison, 5 Years Probation

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A woman accused of leaving methadone within reach of a toddler in November pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated manslaughter of a child.

Dana Anderson, 30, was sentenced to 5 years in prison and 5 years of probation.

Police said 2-year-old Masia Wright died after taking a sip from a purple cup with Halloween decorations containing 80 mg of methadone. According to investigators, the child found the cup on a dresser in his home.

The autopsy revealed Masia died from methadone toxicity, and the medical examiner ruled the case a homicide.

Anderson, the father's girlfriend, was arrested and charged in the case. Police initially said the methadone was in a sippy cup, but in court Wednesday, prosecutors said it was a decorated plastic cup without a lid.Prosecutors said they charged Anderson with manslaughter rather than murder because it was clear the child was accidentally exposed to the methadone.

"It's been a mother's worst nightmare. It's hard to deal with," said Masia's mother, Makisha Gaffney. "I cry every day and I think I'll cry for the rest of my life because a piece of my life is gone."

Gaffney said she's not angry at Anderson. Instead, she pities her.

"I just feel sorry for her because even though she gets five years in prison and five years probation, she has to live a life outside of that. So I feel sorry for her," Gaffney said.

Methadone is often used to curb heroin or other opiate addictions, and experts told Channel 4 it is so powerful that 5 mg of the liquid would have been enough to kill a small child.

The boy's father, Ernest Wright, said he came home from school Nov. 15 to find his son unconscious. He took the boy to a hospital, where the boy was pronounced dead on arrival.

Wright said that Anderson had helped raise the boy since he was 3 months old. He said his son must have seen the cup and thought there was juice inside.

Police records show Anderson has several previous arrests, including several drug charges, petty theft and traffic charges.

5 years seems too little. Why was she not also hit with drug charges? A little baby is dead. 5 years doesn't seem like a fair trade.

twinkletoes wrote:5 years seems too little. Why was she not also hit with drug charges? A little baby is dead. 5 years doesn't seem like a fair trade.

---Believe me, I am not making excuses. Wikipedia says:

Methadone is useful in the treatment of opioid dependence. It has cross-tolerance with other opiates including heroin and morphine,
offering very similar effects and a long duration of effect. Oral doses
of methadone can stabilize patients by mitigating opioid withdrawal
syndrome. Higher doses of methadone can block the euphoric effects of
heroin, morphine, and similar drugs. As a result, properly dosed
methadone patients can reduce or stop altogether their use of these
substances.

I feel the convicted female was prescribed the 'done and was just very careless about access to the child.
It's not like Nicky Odze who was given a drug purposely (allegedly, for now).

this is a tragic reminder that people be very careful about anything left within the reach of a children.