Grandmother gets jail after toddler, 2, drinks meth-laced tea

A woman whose 2-year-old granddaughter went to the hospital after accidentally drinking her methamphetamine-laced tea was sentenced to police custody this week in Riverside.

Cynthia Watson, 51, of Oregon was sentenced Tuesday to 60 days in custody, of which 43 days must be served in a work-release program after pleading guilty to child endangerment and possession of a controlled substance, according to Riverside County Superior Court records.

Watson was also ordered to serve four years’ probation, enroll in a child abuse treatment program, must avoid drugs and forbidden from contacting her family, including her granddaughter.

Riverside County sheriff’s officials said Watson’s granddaughter was expected to recover after sipping the drug-infused tea on June 29.

Watson, who had been staying with the toddler and her mother in Garner Valley, had apparently made herself a cup of tea with methamphetamine to get high, and left it unattended, authorities said.

At some point, the toddler took a sip of the tea.

Authorities said the child’s mother was trying to put her to bed and noticed she was acting strange — scratching her skin, talking rapidly, appearing agitated and unable to sit still.

Fearing something could be wrong, she took her daughter to a nearby hospital where she was examined by doctors and determined to be under the influence of methamphetamine.

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