Only ER in three counties shut down after meth contamination

A man contaminated with dangerous chemicals forced the shut down of the only emergency room in three counties Tuesday.

It happened in Hempstead County at the Medical Park Hospital in Hope.

To have an entire emergency room shut down for about seven hours is pretty rare.

But the circumstances surrounding the shut down could be a sign of an alarming trend.

"It's obvious you don't want any kind of chemicals introduced into an environment like that," Sheriff Singleton said. 

A man who'd been dropped off there had first told staff a battery had blown up on him.  But after nearly an hour inside, he fessed up to something else entirely.  "He then told the people there a meth lab had blown up on him," the Sheriff said. 

A haz mat team was called in to decontaminate the ER. When they arrived they discovered their biggest concern: the man had been covered with anhyrdous ammonia, a very dangerous gas. 

"It can make you dizzy, watery eyes, naseau vomiting, things like that," he said.  Some hospital staffers reportedly felt their skin and eyes burning. The chemical can also cause lung damage.  "We hadn't seen anything like that lately," the Sheriff said. 

What's concering, Sheriff Singleton says this could signal a resurgence of this method of cooking meth.

Anhydrous ammonia found in some fertilizers and refrigerants was commonly used in the '90's, for what was called the "Nazi" method of making meth.

Then producers started switching to psuedoephedrine, which is cheaper and far less dangerous.

Risks of explosion and exposure to the general public are much higher with anhydrous ammonia.

"We need to find this lab," said Sheriff Singleton. 

Addressing this bigger problem will come later. Because of the man's injuries, the sheriff says they haven't interviewed him. The meth lab that exploded could be nearly anywhere. First, they must find it.

"That's our main concern right now is the safety of the citizens, to locate where this lab was, this cook was, once we get that done, we'll follow through with the investigation," the Sheriff said. 

Other law enforcement agencies say they believe anhdryous ammonia may be making a comeback amoung meth makers, perhaps because of the crack down on the sale of pseudoephedrine. Most though say it's too soon to say.

http://arkansasmatters.com/news-fulltext?nxd_id=473837

Candice Alexander

I hope that's it pretty obvious where both mine and David's passion lay when it comes to fighting methamphetamine - advocating for the children who are the innocent and most helpless victims of any addiction.  I've decided to share real life stories of lives destroyed by methamphetamine.  I thought it was only fitting to speak first for those who cannot speak for themselves.  The next few posts will be dedicated to children who have lost their lives because of their parents addictions.  

Candice Alexander was 15 years old when she was murdered by her parents.  Her death was preventable.  School officials and social workers knew she was in danger.  Other addicts were actually in the home when she was being beaten to death.  Some testified at trial of the immense guilt they felt for doing nothing for fear of angering their drug connection.

We first heard of Candice's story when someone sent us a powerpoint containing her autopsy photos.  It was shocking to see a beautiful young girl, filthy and beaten, laying on a morgue table.  Several things stood out to me - how underdeveloped she was (she looked more like she was 11 or 12 because of her drug use and malnourishment I'm sure), her defensive wounds (this little girl fought hard for her life), and the obvious signs of a beating (her death was initally ruled as an accidental overdose until a caring and diligent Sergeant with the state police stepped in).  We then began researching her story and the details were so disturbing we thought it was only fitting that she not die in vain.  David tells her story whenever he speaks.  The Sergeant that was responsible for investigating her death has encouraged us to to keep doing so.

Instead of retyping her story I have copied a section from our book.  I hope those that hear her story remember it and realize this could be any child, any where that needs help.

Candice Alexander was first given methamphetamine when she was just twelve years old. That’s also probably when the sexual abuse began. Candice reported the abuse to her school, but instead of calling social services, they called her mother, Rebecca Lee, who in turn removed her from school.

            Candice was not the first child to be abused by her mother. Her older brother, Cody, was taken from his mother as an infant by child protective services in 1986. A bone scan at a local hospital revealed fractures to the right ulna and radius, the tibia and femur of both legs, and multiple rib fractures in varying stages of healing. He was also blind. Nearly six months old, Cody weighed only nine pounds.

            While Cody was in foster care, his mother gave birth to two more children, Amanda and Candice. Amanda was the first of the two to be molested by her stepfather. When Rebecca caught the couple in a sex act when Amanda was fourteen, the girl was kicked out of the house and forced to live with older meth addicts. The parents then moved on to Candice.

            Rebecca knew her husband was sexually attracted to her daughter, but didn’t mind if he molested Candice as long as she was also present. But one day, Johnny took Candice fishing without inviting her mother. When Rebecca found out they’d had sex on the trip, she went berserk.

            For the next ten days, Candice was violently beaten. Then on May 9, 2003, the 90-pound teenager was forcibly injected with enough methamphetamine to kill four 150-pound men. She had a wound on her arm where the drugs were injected and finger-shaped marks near the injection site that were consistent with her arm being forcibly held. Her mother and stepfather also injected her with saline to try to revive her, but it was too late. Candice, at fifteen, was dead.

            The killers waited more than three hours to contact law enforcement. By the time they arrived, the meth lab had been disassembled and the bathroom scrubbed with the water hose that had been brought in from outside. The crime scene had also been cleaned.

            In the autopsy, Candice’s battered body revealed what had occurred during her nightmare. She had fingernail marks on her face from being held down. There were marks extending the length of her right arm from being struck multiple times with a hard, round, elongated object. There was a large abrasion on her nose and blood in her right nostril indicative of being struck in the face.

            Candice’s hands and chest were covered with motor oil and dirt that had come from the transmission of a truck; at some point during the savage beating she had run out of the house and sought refuge under the vehicle. There were bright red abrasions on her hips that had occurred when she was pulled away from the car by the back of her belt. There was also a prominent linear bruise on the midline of her abdomen, an imprint of the inseam of her pants, and fingernail marks and grass in her pubic area.

            In 2005, Rebecca and Johnny Lee were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Candice’s younger sister, who was thirteen at the time of her death, spent time in a psychiatric hospital while her mother was on trial. She had witnessed part of her sister’s murder and was forced to participate in the cleanup.

            Tragically, the cycle of abuse continues. On September 5, 2008, Benjamin Terrance Rawls, the biological son of Rebecca Lee, was indicted for abandoning and endangering his ten-week-old son after he allegedly shook the infant. He was also accused of endangering his eighteen-month-old son by leaving him alone in the house with drugs, weapons, and a pit bull.

Letter to Lawmakers re: Pseudoephedrine Becoming Prescription Only

This is a letter I drafted to send to my state representative concerning passing a law that would return pseudoephedrine to prescription only status:

I learned a few days ago that a bill has been introduced to make pseudoephedrine available only with a prescription.  Which, in fact, would only be returning pseudoephedrine to prescription only status as it was until 1976.   I wanted to let you know that my husband, David, and myself support this measure 100%.  There has been much discussion about this in other states and many myths being spread.  I’d like to address some of these.

Myth 1 – Meth cooks will find another chemical in place of pseudoephedrine to manufacture meth.

Fact - There are only two chemicals that meth can not be made without - pseudoephedrine (PSE) and phenyl-2-propanone (commonly called P2P).   P2P has already been banned in the United States, but is still used in Mexico. The small labs that are in hotels, houses, and children's bedrooms use PSE. There is no other ingredient required to manufacture methamphetamine readily available in the United States except PSE.  All the other ingredients like anhydrous and drain cleaner are used in the manufacturing process and aren’t really ingredients.  There are substitutes for those chemicals.

Myth 2 – Online tracking systems are effective and help law enforcement arrest meth cooks.

Fact - Tracking laws are not working. KY and OK have the meth check program and they have also been hit with record years for labs.  I understand the view from some law enforcement, but in my opinion, they are working toward the wrong goal.  The goal should not be to track and watch purchases, than arrest as many people as possible, using as much manpower and tax dollars possible while filling up jails. The goal should be to eliminate labs in the first place. Besides, by the time they track, watch, and arrest a meth cook, that cook has already taught an average of ten other people how to manufacture methamphetamine, children have been poisoned or killed, and homes have been contaminated.

Some opponents of this measure state that the tracking system works because there is evidence of some blocked transactions.   What they neglect to mention is that much of the PSE used in the manufacture of meth is obtained through "smurfing".  Most people know when they have reached their limit and simply recruit someone else to make the purchase for them.

Myth 3 - There is no proof that passing this law would have any effect on the number of labs.

Fact - Oregon's meth labs numbered in the hundreds before they made it prescription only. Last year they had about 10 labs. Mississippi’s labs dropped by 65% after enacting the law.  The Rx only law works. 

Myth 4 – Making PSE prescription only will raise the cost of the medication.

Fact – Not true.  I have checked this myself by calling pharmacies in Oregon.

Myth 5 – Law abiding citizens will have to pay for a doctor’s visit and miss work every time they have a cold and be out hundreds of dollars.

Fact – While we will have to pay to see a doctor once, refills can be given or called in at the doctor’s discretion.

Another argument against passing this is that it won’t do anything to cut down on drug use.  I am not sure about that.  Drug users may begin importing more meth or switch to another drug.  Passing this law is not about that though.  It is about keeping another child from ingesting or being burnt by meth making chemicals, or dying in a fire/explosion caused by manufacturing meth, or being made sick by being exposed to those chemicals.

I am a sinus sufferer without insurance.  I know it will be a slight inconvenience.   However, I believe that little bit of inconvenience to me is worth saving the life of a child.  

I’d like to urge you to vote “Yes” on this measure when the opportunity arises.

Sincerely,

Amy Parnell

81-yr-old Woman Suffers Acid Burns from Grandson's Meth Making Materials

An 81-year-old Bethel Springs woman is recovering after spilling acid used to make meth on her legs.

 

Mary Tate was reaching for the phone in her home Tuesday afternoon when she tipped a plastic bottle onto the floor. Inside was a sulfuric acid.

 

 "I spilled it and saw it turn the carpet black," said Tate. "I knew there was something wrong."

 

Police say the acid was put in Tate's house by her 20 year old great grandson, Darren Talley. He, and a friend, Victoria Jones, have been charged with promotion of meth and reckless endangerment, because of the burns to Tate.

 

"When it spilled, it started eating through her nightgown," said McNairy County Sheriff Guy Buck.

 

This isn't Talley's first time dealing with meth charges. In fact, McNairy County deputies arrested Talley in a Hardin County courthouse where he was appearing for another unrelated meth charge.

 

Talley remains in custody.

http://www.wbbjtv.com/NewsStories/110119LethalDiscovery.html

Pseudoephedrine Restriction and Drug Endangered Children

The following is an excellent post from Holly Hopper, Director, National Drug Endangered Children Training & Advocacy Center.

One of the hot legislative topics at the state level involves scheduling of pseudoephedrine, the active ingredient in Sudafed (R) and other forms of cold medicine. Our memories may easily fail to remember that this medication was available by prescription prior to making it an over-the-counter medication. As it turns out, this decision has cost the public--tax payers--millions upon millions of dollars as members of biker gangs and street chemists began to manufacture methamphetamine.

For the benefit of public convenience, children were forced to breathe dangerous chemicals and suffered the medical effects of this long-term exposure. Law enforcement officers were exposed to chemicals and dangerous environments without realizing the gravity of these harms. The response has evolved to include intensive Haz-Mat responder training for officers and hazardous waste disposal programs initiated by Regional Drug Task Forces to save money. There are a number of law enforcement officers who suffer the health consequences of these exposures that are evidenced by liver damage or lingering respiratory problems.

The children suffer greatly at the hands of a society of untrained responders who fail to see what is right before their eyes. Knowledge is required before an individual is able to interpret that which is before his eyes. With drug busts, dangers must be seen and understood before evidence can be collected, presented, and prosecuted. If children appear to be "okay", professionals respond to what they interpret in an instant to be well-enough to leave alone. What we know is that upon investigation it is common to discover children who test positive for the drugs abused by mom, dad, and caregivers. These children are frequently dehydrated, nutrient deficient, filled with fear, suffering the consequences of trauma, and perhaps even the victim of sexual abuse because they are the currency of convenience. They are the money used to purchase their parent's drug.

What does all this have to do with pseudoephedrine restriction? Drug users with use the upper or downer that is available and provides the least risk of arrest and prosecution. Parents of these children can make large amounts of money working as a "smurfer", a person who spends the days driving from pharmacy to pharmacy to purchase pseudoephedrine and resell it or provide it to the meth manufacturer. These individuals use fake ID's to overcome tracking measures that were intended to prevent illicit use of pseudoephedrine (just as some systems such as KASPER track narcotic prescriptions).

The DEC response targets all child victims of drug related crime. There are far too many of these children out there--over 90% of all substantiated child abuse cases are in this category. However, if I can be inconvenienced just a little, it is worth it to end abuse in this segment of the drug endangered child population.

Meth cannot be manufactured without pseudoephedrine and we have the power to end meth.

What can you do to save a child today?


Holly

http://www.ndec-tac.org/forums/entry.php?17-Pseudoephedrine-Restriction-and-DEC

*KY will be voting on a measure to make pseudoephedrine available by prescription only.  If you live in KY please contact your legislator and urge them to vote "YES" on Senate Bill 45.*

Numer of Methamphetamine Users Rises

I am not sure it ever declined.  You can't base the number of users on the amount of labs, IMO.  Cutting back on the numbers of labs is great.  That would greatly decrease a whole set of risks.  However, as long as there is demand there will be a supply.  We have to tackle this issue from the prevention angle also.

QUINCY, ILL. -- It seems like every week there's a new arrest for methamphetamine use.

This week, a federal grand jury returned indictments charging two Quincy brothers with meth distribution.
People are finding new ways to purchase materials to make meth even with laws in place.
Methamphetamine use started in the midwest because the ingredients are easily available.
"For a significant period of time, these were larger meth labs: garage size operations or basement size operations, sometimes individual buildings doing fairly large quantities of meth," said Ron Howell of Recovery Resources.
But when the law restricting pseudoephedrine purchases passed a few years ago, the number of meth users dropped. Then, a new way of making meth was introduced. The shake and bake method lets users make meth in a two liter soda bottle. It makes a smaller amount for individual use, or for small groups of people.

"When the meth cooks discovered the shake and bake method, those numbers started to come back up again. So, now we're seeing an up-swing," said State's Attorney Jon Barnard.

State's Attorney Jon Barnard says in the entire state of Illinois, the convenience store with the highest number of psuedoephedrine sales isn't in Chicago or any other large city. It's right here in Quincy.
"What does that tell you? And it's not that the retail outlets are letting this stuff happen. They strictly comply with the law and they keep very close track, but it just tells you how relentless these people are," said Barnard.
Now, they're finding ways to get around the law. Smurfs, as they're called, buy psuedoephedrine for users, making it almost impossible to track who the drug is really for.
"Five to eight years ago it was kind of considered an extreme drug, unusual in terms of general addictive behavior. That's not the case anymore. It's become mainstream," said Ron Howell of Recovery Resources.
In 2004, the U.S. Department of Justice conducted a study, which ranked Illinois 4th in the country for meth arrests and meth lab seizures.
Methamphetamine users cost the state $2 billion dollars annually.
http://www.connecttristates.com/news/story.aspx?id=564099

Baby Still Recovering From Severe Burns, Abuse Due to Meth

http://www.wtov9.com/news/25878032/detail.html

A 1-year-old girl remains hospitalized but is recovering after suffering severe burns and abuse, her father told NEWS9 Monday.


The father, who is not charged and wishes to remain anonymous, said this was not the first time his daughter has been hospitalized under the baby's mother's care. The father said his daughter had to have surgery just months ago after she swallowed a roof stripping liquid.


At that time, he said nurses told him the girl had a 2 percent chance of surviving, but he said his daughter is a true fighter. Since then, he said, he's been trying to get custody of his young daughter.


The girl's mother, 21-year-old Samantha Burch, was arrested on Friday and faces child abuse charges. Burch's ex-boyfriend, 34-year-old Ryan Custer, faces charges of possessing meth.

---

Police from Dillonvale and Wells Township found the baby -- who just turned 1 on Nov. 5 -- at her mother's Coss Street home in Dillonvale. Officials said the girl was severely burned in her diaper area, dehydrated, filthy and had a fever of 103 degrees.


Police said the abuse happened at 821 1/2 Second St. in Brilliant. The baby has second- and third-degree burns, but police said they did not know how she was burned. The baby was initially transported to East Ohio Regional Hospital, then transferred the burn unit at Columbus Children's Hospital, where she remained Monday.


When K-9 units arrived at the home, one of the police dogs ran to an abandoned house behind the home and found a meth lab. Drug Enforcement Agency officials are still looking into the possibility that it could be one of the biggest meth labs found in Ohio.


Stay with NEWS9, WTOV9.com and WTOV9 Mobile for continuing coverage.

Previous Stories:

• November 19, 2010: Father Of Abused Baby Says He's Been Fighting For Custody
• November 19, 2010: DEA: Dillonvale Meth Lab One Of Biggest In Ohio
• November 20, 2010: Traffic Stop Leads To Child Abuse Investigation, Meth Lab Find