Newborn Overdosed On Drugs After Drinking Cocaine-Filled 'Baby Water', Father Charged

A man in Milwaukee was accused of child neglect after his 5-week-old daughter became a victim of drug overdose due to his alleged actions. Versean Anderson, 25, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him during a court appearance Wednesday after his daughter was admitted to St. Luke's Medical Center for “respiratory failure” on May 6.

The child’s mother admitted to leaving her with Anderson earlier in the day. When she returned from work around 4 p.m. CDT (5 p.m. EDT), the accused told her the baby was "sleeping all day and would not drink from her bottle." The mother then "used the gallon jug of 'baby water' on the kitchen table to make a bottle" for the baby, the criminal complaint against Anderson stated, Fox 6 Now reported.

After drinking around two ounces of water from the bottle, the baby fell asleep. Shortly after, she started having breathing problems and was rushed to the medical center at around 7 p.m. After the doctors administered two doses of Narcan – a medication to block the effects of opioids, especially in overdose cases – a urinalysis was conducted. The results confirmed the presence of opioids and cocaine in the child's system. She was then transported to the intensive care unit at Children's Hospital where she received another infusion of Narcan to counteract the narcotics in her system.

Officers responded to the hospital regarding a case of child negligence and the next day, showed up at Anderson’s house to question him and the child’s mother. After searching the residence, the police found a used syringe containing heroin, five needles and two burned and bent spoons.

According to the complaint, Anderson initially "denied that he had used drugs and attributed the needles and other drug-related items to his brother...and two of his friends that he knows are into drugs." He later told the authorities that one of his friends had come over to his house on May 6, who had “crushed up a Percocet pill and snorted it."

He added that the friend also “brought syringes with him that [he] cleaned using a gallon jug of 'baby water'" which was later used unknowingly by the child’s mother to prepare a bottle for the victim.

However, the complaint alleged that Anderson and his friend had bought cocaine from the latter’s drug dealer. After injecting the cocaine mixed with water into their arms, the pair “cleaned their syringes in the gallon bottle of water located on the kitchen table” which the accused identified as “baby water,” it added.

The child's mother confirmed to a detective that Anderson used drugs and that he would often keep heroin and cocaine on a bathroom shelf within reach of their elder daughter who was four years old, USA Today-affiliated Journal Sentinel reported.

"It's certainly very sad, but it's not something we aren't used to," said Dr. Mark Kostic, from Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, who specializes in medical toxicology. "The smallest dose would be innocuous to an adult, but could be quite dangerous to a newborn.”

Anderson is due to be back in court June 19. If convicted, he could face up to 12-and-a-half years in prison.