Newborn baby dies after being exposed to heroin and cocaine by mother
A mother has been jailed after exposing her baby daughter to heroin and cocaine before her death from a cardiac arrest.
Rachel Bourne, 34, was addicted to drugs in 2019 when paramedics were called to the family’s home on Meaford Drive, in Blurton, Staffordshire.
Phoebe Douglas was just 10 weeks old when she was found in cardiac arrest before being taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital, where she died days later.
Baby Phoebe’s mum has now been jailed for 31 months after admitting child cruelty.
Prosecutor Chloe Ashley told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court that Phoebe had ingested heroin and cocaine prior to her death.
She explained: ‘She (Phoebe) may have been exposed to smoke from crack cocaine or heroin or may have come into contact with surfaces with drug powder or come into contact with someone who had used or handled drugs.’
‘The presence of cannabis’ was also found in baby Phoebe’s hair, which likely came from a sweat transfer from someone who had been using cannabis, Prosecutor Ashley said.
Bourne has been free from drugs and addiction for a year, her lawyer said (Picture: Google)
The court heard Bourne, who now lives in Yorkshire, spent £120-a-week on drugs.
Phoebe’s father, 39-year-old John Douglas, also now lives in Yorkshire and will be sentenced on Wednesday after admitting the same offence.
Paul Cliff, mitigating, said Bourne had been remanded in custody since November last year.
He said: ‘She has spent a year free of drugs and free of addiction.’
‘She experimented with heroin and crack cocaine and an addiction took hold. Although she did not drink or use drugs in the presence of her child she was ignorant of the risk of passive inhalation, surface contamination, and cross-contamination.
‘She accepts her addiction to drugs rendered her incapable of putting her child’s best interests first. She is now free of drugs and she must live with the consequences.’
Mr Cliff said after the death of her daughter, Bourne’s life descended into ‘absolute chaos’.
He added: ‘Her first conviction was in 2021. At the time of these convictions she had no previous convictions at all. She has to live with her regret indefinitely.’
Jailing Bourne, Judge Graeme Smith said: ‘The case is about two tragedies – the death of Phoebe at 10 weeks old and the second tragedy is what happened to your life and what led to the exposure of her to heroin and cocaine.
‘Drugs ruin lives. It ruined your life. You have prioritised drug use over care for yourself, your family, and your employment.
‘There is no suggestion you gave drugs to the child but she was exposed through smoke or surface contamination.’
In 2023, a one year old who was found dead in a Staten Island, New York home, was found to have died after ingesting cocaine and fentanyl.
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