Mother charged after 10-month-old son tests positive for meth

KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. -- (WVAH) -- A 10-month-old baby was taken to the hospital Monday after deputies said he ingested methamphetamine.

His mother, Miranda Gale Taylor, 24, of Elkview, was arrested Tuesday on a child neglect resulting injury charge. The baby was still in Charleston Area Medical Center Women and Children's Hospital Tuesday night after methamphetamine was found in his system Monday. Deputies said they had to remove the child from his mother's arms to get him to the hospital for care.

Deputies responded to a building in the Pinch area of Kanawha County Monday when Taylor's mother called 911, describing usual behavior and symptoms the baby was having.

"She refused to allow medics into the house after the call to 911 was made, and deputies had to make entry into the house in order to medically treat the child," Assistant Kanawha County Prosecutor Maryclaire Akers said.

Once inside, deputies had to take the baby from Taylor to get him to the hospital where a drug test revealed he had methamphetamine in his system.

Akers said in cases like this when drugs are around small children, it only takes a moment for a child to ingest something dangerous.

"Everyone who is a parent knows or has small children in their lives, you know babies, small children can get into just about anything. You could be in another room, and a child could get into something that you thought they could never get into," Akers said.

Sgt. Brian Humphreys said right now how Taylor's son ingested meth is unknown.