philemmons
01-22-08, 05:27 PM
MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) - A Muncie woman and her boyfriend are behind bars after allegedly giving alcohol to an 11 month old baby. Police say the little boy's blood alcohol level was 0.118.
Investigators call this the epitome of irresponsible parenting. The couple claims the boy accidentally drank the alcohol but detectives say this was no accident.
Empty beer bottles sit just feet away from the home at 30 Mulberry Street. This is where investigators say 19-year old Amanda Elbert lived with her son and boyfriend, Edward Williams
"I don't think they realized the magnitude of this. The child could have died from this," said Lt. Al Williams with the Muncie Police department.
Investigators say the eleventh month old's blood alcohol level was .118.
"Which is well over the legal limit for an adult for drinking and driving," Lt. Williams
"It's terrible; they need to be in jail," neighbor Renita Benford said.
Benford lives just a few doors down from the couple.
She calls the situation sad, "I think it's a terrible thing for those people to let that baby consume that alcohol like that."
Investigators say the baby's father took the child to the hospital after he noticed the boy was unresponsive Wednesday night.
Police say the couple claimed the child consumed the alcohol without them knowing. But judging by the high levels in his system police aren't buying it.
"This is an easy case of neglect if nothing else," Lt. Williams said.
Now the couple is behind bars. Investigators say if convicted Elbert and Williams could spend up to eight years in prison.
"We'll never really know the long term effect it's had on the child. The child appears to be fine now. But lets hope that this isn't a long term effect that the child will be going through for sometime," Lt. Williams said.
The little boy is now living with his father.
Elbert and Williams are being held at the Delaware County Jail.
Investigators call this the epitome of irresponsible parenting. The couple claims the boy accidentally drank the alcohol but detectives say this was no accident.
Empty beer bottles sit just feet away from the home at 30 Mulberry Street. This is where investigators say 19-year old Amanda Elbert lived with her son and boyfriend, Edward Williams
"I don't think they realized the magnitude of this. The child could have died from this," said Lt. Al Williams with the Muncie Police department.
Investigators say the eleventh month old's blood alcohol level was .118.
"Which is well over the legal limit for an adult for drinking and driving," Lt. Williams
"It's terrible; they need to be in jail," neighbor Renita Benford said.
Benford lives just a few doors down from the couple.
She calls the situation sad, "I think it's a terrible thing for those people to let that baby consume that alcohol like that."
Investigators say the baby's father took the child to the hospital after he noticed the boy was unresponsive Wednesday night.
Police say the couple claimed the child consumed the alcohol without them knowing. But judging by the high levels in his system police aren't buying it.
"This is an easy case of neglect if nothing else," Lt. Williams said.
Now the couple is behind bars. Investigators say if convicted Elbert and Williams could spend up to eight years in prison.
"We'll never really know the long term effect it's had on the child. The child appears to be fine now. But lets hope that this isn't a long term effect that the child will be going through for sometime," Lt. Williams said.
The little boy is now living with his father.
Elbert and Williams are being held at the Delaware County Jail.