Woman Arrested in Baby’s Death
A 27-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of her infant son, apparently for taking drugs during her pregnancy.
The unusual charge of “failure to provide medical treatment” was levied against 27-year-old Pamela Rae Stewart of North Mollison Avenue after a toxicology report showed the presence of amphetamines in Stewart’s baby boy.
Thomas Travis-Edward Monson, was born brain-dead Nov. 23, 1985, at Grossmont Hospital and was kept alive on life-support systems until Jan. 1.
According to a doctor’s diagnosis, Stewart’s pregnancy was complicated by the condition “placenta previa.” She was advised to rest and avoid the use of street drugs and narcotics to prevent jeopardizing her baby, police said.
When the child died, Detective Deborah Sylvester conducted an investigation, and Deputy Dist. Atty. Harry Elias obtained a warrant for Stewart’s arrest on the misdemeanor charge.
Stewart was arrested Thursday and is being held in the Las Colinas County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Elias and Sylvester were not available for comment Saturday.
The penal code section under which Stewart was charged includes wording that “a child conceived but not yet born is deemed to be an existing person in so far as this section is concerned.”
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