A one month old baby girl was raced to the children’s hospital after her mother accidentally mixed her formula with vodka instead of water. The infant had a blood alcohol level of almost 0.294 – almost four times the 0.08 driving limit – when she was admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Her mother said the baby had consumed 2 oz of vodka unbeknownst to her.
She said after she gave the infant her bottle on Monday night, her hands and toes became red and her legs started shaking.
The 20-year-old mother, who has not been identified, told police that her 22 year old bf, Brian Smith, was staying with her and had emptied out a bottle of water on the kitchen counter and replaced it with the strong liquor without telling her.
The mother said she and Smith were in their apartment when he asked if the baby had been fed. She said she had used the water bottle she always uses in the kitchen. Smith then became upset and started yelling and said he had dumped out the water and had filled the bottle with vodka, intending to take it with him.
The complaint said he continued to yell at her, threw a bottle at her, pushed her and grabbed her by the neck so hard she was unable to speak.
According to the complaint the young mother filed against Smith, the argument and fight continued out in a hallway and into the parking lot, which is when police arrived.
When police arrived, they found Smith screaming and swearing at a group of about a dozen people gathered around a car. Officers said Smith was holding open the rear door, and a 20-year-old woman was inside the car.
According to the complaint, Jones threatened officers by yelling, “Don’t effing touch me,” and went towards them with clenched fists. After a brief struggle with officers, he was handcuffed.
Documents state that an officer then spoke to the woman in the car, who was crying and sobbing uncontrollably. That was when she then told the officer that Smith had choked her after she had used a water bottle filled with vodka to feed her 1-month-old child, Daviarre. Officers observed that the child’s breathing was labored and an ambulance was called.
Police believe the incident was an accident, and the mother will likely not face any charges.
The baby’s grandfather said it was all a big misunderstanding.
“It was an honest mistake, and then it led up to a bunch of other things, and he didn’t know what to do, and he was scared,” Allen Jones said.
Smith is facing charges of strangulation and battery, disorderly conduct and resisting an officer. He could face nearly 10 years in prison if convicted.
The baby was placed in intensive care but is expected to be released from hospital this week.
