A Carmen woman has been charged with child abuse and her newborn son was placed in DHS custody.
According to court records, on Sept. 20, 2023, Alfalfa County Deputy Sheriff Loren Nusser provided an affidavit and information in District Court charging Cassie Marie Curry, with one count of child abuse as a result of her being pregnant and using methamphetamine. District Attorney’s Investigator Steve Tanio reviewed the affidavit and information determining Nusser had met with Curry on Sept. 17, 2023, in Carmen regarding a disturbance. During the interaction Nusser observed Curry to be under the influence of methamphetamine. According to the affidavit, Curry admitted to Nusser she was approximately seven months pregnant and had last used methamphetamine approximately three days prior.
Tanio reviewed medical records which indicated on Jan. 2, 2024, Curry was admitted to Integris Bass Baptist Health Center in Enid for bleeding in pregnancy. The examining physician noted that during the examination, Curry admitted to a history of drug use/abuse with the note “meth use last night.” Curry gave birth to a baby boy on Jan. 2, 2024.
On Jan. 2, another doctor reported Curry’s and her baby’s urine drug screens were positive for methamphetamine, and a DHS referral was made. As a result, a foster family was identified and a custody order from the court was placed in the infant’s chart. A drug screen of the infant on Jan. 2 was analyzed by United States Drug Testing which reported that it determined the umbilical cord was positive for the presence of amphetamine and methamphetamine.
Tano conducted online research of medical journals regarding methamphetamine use during pregnancy. An article in the National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, regarding “Methamphetamines and Pregnancy Outcomes” concluded that “continuous methamphetamine use during pregnancy is associated with preterm delivery and low-birth weight, both of which contribute to neonatal morbidity and mortality.
On Nov. 13, 2024, in Alfalfa County District Court, Cassie Marie Curry, 38, of Carmen, was charged with child neglect, a felony. This crime is punishable by imprisonment not exceeding life imprisonment, or by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.
Reader Comments(0)