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Mom charged in death of toddler who overdosed on meth
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A woman in Washington state has been charged with manslaughter after her 2 1/2-year-old son overdosed on methamphetamine and died.
Alyia Iverson, 26, of Spanaway pleaded not guilty during an appearance in Pierce County Superior Court on Wednesday. Prosecutors said Iverson left the drug where her son could find it, then when he showed signs of illness, did nothing to help him until it was too late.
“Once the toddler ate that methamphetamine, there must have been a high fever, convulsions, maybe even seizures. It would have been painfully obvious,” said Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist.
The boy died in early December 2012. The case took more than a year to charge because of toxicology tests to prove how the boy died and a lengthy investigation into the circumstances.
The state Child Protective Service also conducted an investigation into the boy’s death. A report criticized caseworkers for not doing more to save the child’s life. The report shows CPS workers had contact with Iverson over problems with her older daughter as far back as 2009, then again in 2011 after the boy, identified only as N. I., was born. Iverson even lost custody of her children at one point but was able to get them back when allegations of neglect were ruled unfounded.
The reports said caseworkers should have tried harder to track Iverson down for follow-up investigations “due to significant risks associated with the case.”
The report also says, "This case should have been staffed with a Child Protection Team," adding that "an assistant attorney general should have been included in the case staffing."
Iverson was ordered held on $250,000 bail while she awaits trial.
