Baby hospitalized after drinking wine

By CHIP TOWERS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Carrollton babysitter is being sought for allegedly giving wine to an infant that ended up hospitalized with a blood-alcohol content of .33.

Tammy Denice Truitt, 40, of Carrollton, is charged with first degree cruelty to children and reckless conduct. She was asked on Tuesday to watch four children under 9 years old -- including a 9-month-old baby boy -- when the mother had to rush to Atlanta for a family emergency, police told the Times-Georgian. When the grandmother arrived at about 9 p.m. to pick up the children, she found the baby laying in what appeared to be a lifeless state.

The infant was then taken to the emergency room at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton. Blood tests at the hospital revealed a blood-alcohol content of .33. After being administered fluids the baby was transferred to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. Police said the baby recovered and was released from the hospital Wednesday.

“It is a miracle that the child did not die from alcohol poisoning, considering how little the baby’s body is, to be able to stand that amount of alcohol in his system,” Carrollton police Sgt. Tony Johnson told the Times-Georgian. “An adult can be charged for DUI with a blood alcohol level of .08. A lot of adults can’t function at .33. The child could have died.”

Police said officers have not been able to locate Truitt, who was not the family’s regular babysitter. She is described as a black female, 5-feet-7 inches tall, approximately 165 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with any information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Carrollton police at 770-834-4451 or call Crime Stoppers at 770-838-STOP.