INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 23-year-old woman was detained after her baby was rushed to the hospital and tested positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana, deputies said.
The 3-year-old girl’s father immediately called 911 when he noticed the child was “high, had dilated eyes and was very lethargic,” reports show. Deputies searched the apartment belonging to the girl’s mother, where they looked inside a kitchen drawer and found two packs of gummy candy labeled as containing 350 milligrams of THC.
It was unclear if the child ingested the candy laced with THC, the main compound in marijuana that gives the “high” sensation.
Cannabis oil was listed as one of the ingredients on the packages, reports show. Deputies said one of the gummy packs was open and easily accessible to the girl.
Rebecca Stout
PHOTO PROVIDED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Deputies arrested Rebecca Lynn Stout, of the 500 block of 8th Place, Vero Beach, on a charge of child neglect. Stout was released Tuesday from the Indian River County Jail on $5,000 bond.
Indian River County deputies responded to reports of neglect about 3:30 p.m. Monday at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital. Medical staff told deputies the girl, who had red, bloodshot eyes, kept falling back asleep even after being given candy, reports show.
Stout had dropped the girl off at her father’s home earlier on Monday. The father immediately saw the baby was under the influence and called police.
When asked why she didn’t call 911, Stout said she was scared, reports show.
The girl remained at Cleveland Clinic for eight hours. After still showing signs of being extremely lethargic, the baby was taken by ambulance to St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital for observation.
Deputies searched Stout’s apartment and found a hookah pipe on the kitchen counter, a black tube containing pieces of cannabis on the dresser and the gummy candy packs.
Stout was arrested and taken to the county jail. Stout has an arraignment at 8:45 a.m. Dec. 6, court records show.