MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. — An Alabama woman is facing charges because sheriff’s deputies said she used drugs while pregnant and while in labor, killing her infant child.
Deputies said Amanda Malpas admitted to using both heroin and methamphetamines throughout her pregnancy, and even during labor. “She admitted that when she felt the labor pains and felt the child breaching she did self-administer a large dose of heroin,” Sgt. Mark Bailey, with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, told WALA. Deputies said paramedics who first arrived on the scene said they found a needle still in Malpas’ arm.
“This is one of the cases you work on that you really are sometimes not prepared for and definitely do not want to be a part of. It’s very sad all the way around,” Bailey told WKRG.
Malpas gave birth to the baby on March 5, and the infant died the same day at a hospital.
When asked by reporters if she had a message for her family, WKRG reported that Malpas responded, “I’m sorry,” as she was escorted to jail.
Deputies told WALA that Malpas has other children, but they are not in her custody.
Malpas is charged with chemical endangerment of a child resulting in death, which WALA reports carries the same penalty as murder. Deputies said the charges could be upgraded to murder at a later date.