Toddler is ‘OK’ after sipping grandmother’s meth-laced tea, cops say

A 2-year-old girl who accidentally drank her grandmother’s cup of methamphetamine-laced tea is doing “OK” and expected to recover, authorities said Tuesday.

Deputies arrested the toddler’s 51-year-old grandmother, Cynthia Watson, of Oregon, Monday morning in Garner Valley after she tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Earlier that day, authorities said the toddler’s mother was trying to put her to bed Sunday night 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, the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.

Authorities subsequently launched an investigation and discovered Watson was staying with the toddler and her mother.

On Sunday night, she had apparently made herself a cup of tea with methamphetamine to get high, authorities said.

Someone who laces tea with methamphetamine may be trying to avoid getting caught because smoking the drug often leaves one’s fingertips burned, sheriff’s Deputy Albert Martinez said.

Deputies believe Watson left the tea unattended, at which point the toddler likely took a sip from the cup, authorities said.

Watson was later taken into custody on suspicion of child endangerment and possessing methamphetamine.

Detectives are still investigating the case to determine how the child had access to the tea and whether there are any previous incidents of endangerment.

“It’s a complicated process,” Martinez said.

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