Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Never Acceptable......

Foster Mother’s Pain Patch Is Responsible in 6-Year-Old Girl’s Death


NY Times
By AL BAKER
Published: May 20, 2008


A foster mother in Harlem has been arrested and accused of accidentally killing a 6-year-old girl in her care by placing a powerful medicinal patch on the child’s neck as treatment for pain, the authorities said on Monday.

The girl, Taylor Webster, was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan on Sunday evening, and her foster mother, Joanne Alvarez, 54, was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter, which is a felony, criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child, officials said.

The pain-relieving patch, known as a fentanyl transdermal patch, delivers through the skin a narcotic drug that is more powerful than morphine. Ms. Alvarez also gave the child some Motrin by mouth, the police said.

The strength of the prescribed dose is based on the patient’s weight. Ms. Alvarez weighs 260 pounds; Taylor weighed 59 pounds. A detective found that the label on the fentanyl stated that it should be kept out of the reach of children, the official said.


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Where do I begin on this one...? YOU STUPID FREAKING MORON!! You are so lucky you did not cross my ER doors with that child Ms Alvarez, if you had there would be nothing left of you to prosecute!


You brainless idiot you gave that sweet child a drug that is used primarily in advanced cancer patients who's pain is thru the roof. Fentanyl is *ONE HUNDRED TIMES* stronger than morphine and you gave it to a 56lb 6 year old! Where in your minute brain did this sound like a good idea?


Hey NY let me know when you need me to show up for jury duty! I hope they throw the book at you Ms Alvarez.



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Parents PLEASE do not treat your child's illnesses with your own prescription medications. We dose children's medications on their weight, and there are A LOT of drugs out there that are fatal to children when dosed wrong. For pain Tylenol/Motrin works great, if you think your child needs something stronger call their Dr, so this tragedy never happens again.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow, an intense situation :=(

I'm a new reader of yours and just wanted to say hi btw. I find your blog fascinating.