Drug Endangered Children

Arguably, the most tragic crimes related to methamphetamine are those involving the children who live in meth homes-those where meth is produced or used. These children are subject to abuse, neglect, violence, hunger, and exposure to the toxic materials. Their caregivers don't tend to their nutritional, emotional, medical, and educational needs. In addition to the toxic chemicals and fumes, these children are in danger of being hurt or killed during an explosion or fire caused by the combustible materials used in producing meth.

Babies born to meth-addicted mothers are often smaller and slower to develop. Breast-fed babies will ingest meth into their systems. Meth lingers on surfaces where older children may play or eat and the drug can be absorbed through their skin. Meth lab operators use kitchens to produce the drug and will store meth or other chemicals in food containers, in the refrigerator, or in cupboards, contaminating the food children eat. The operators will also use bathroom facilities as meth labs, leaving children without a safe, usable toilet or bathtub.

Because meth suppresses appetite, meth-using parents may forget to feed their children. When they aren't using the drugs, the parents may sleep for 24 hours at a time, leaving their children to care for themselves.

Children living in meth homes may also be exposed to illicit sexual activity, pornography, and domestic violence. They are often the victims of sexual abuse, either with or without their parents' knowledge.

Meth addicts are sometimes paranoid and hide their children, refuse to take them to doctors, or not enroll them in school. Paranoia may lead parents to arm themselves with guns and other weapons, increasing the risk that children will gain access to them.

Perhaps the most frequent child endangerment issue in meth lab homes is the extreme, prolonged neglect that causes children to shut down emotionally, failing to develop the attachments, expressive abilities, and emotional capacities that other children do.

Once discovered, the care of these children becomes a priority and Washington state involves a number of resources-from law enforcement, to child protective services, to prosecutors, to the medical community-who are dedicated to ensure the safety of these children, provide them with the resources they need, and place them in environments where they can develop physically, mentally, and emotionally.