One of the true victims of the modern-day epidemic of prescription drug abuse are children. The children of addicts suffer greatly. If this subject interests you, I encourage you to read on. Following are real-life stories of children affected by the addiction of their parents to prescription medication.
Current Real Life Stories
They say grandparents love their grandchildren even more than their own kids. How about this? Deputies arrested a Port Charlotte grandmother on a child neglect charge. Deputies said Donna Jean Mahoney, 53, allowed her 6-year-old grandson to live with her in "absolute squalor."
Mahoney had custody of the grandson which makes you really wonder about the parents.
Two people with flashlights were reportedly seen climbing through a rear window.
Deputies say Erin M. Mahoney, the 29-year-old mother of the boy, and 34-year-old Paulo Guiseppe Mannino, a neighbor, entered through a rear window because the front door was locked.
"Upon entry there was an immediate and overpowering smell of dog urine and feces," deputies reported. "There was no running water and every room was found profoundly filthy, cluttered and smelled ... Clothing was found next to or on top of excrement. Pathways through the rooms were filthy; the kitchen had dirty dishes and trash on the counter, in the sink and on the floor. The refrigerator revealed outdated items and had a distinct odor of decaying food."
Deputies said they found scattered syringes and that a needle on the bathroom sink was within easy reach of a child.
A Sheriff described the child neglect case as "the worst I have ever seen in 27 years of law enforcement."
The boy was reportedly discovered to be sleeping on a couch at a neighbor's home, with dog excrement on his sneakers. Animal Control removed a pit bull and a chow from the Mahoney residence.
In October, a couple being questioned by police in a suspicious vehicle case at a gas station claimed five children in their care were at home with a baby-sitter.
When officers went to the home, however, they reportedly discovered a 10-year-old girl in charge of four children, ages 5 and 3 and two 1-month-old premature infants who were hooked to heart monitors and had soiled themselves.
The 3-year-old boy had been sleeping in vomit, according to an arrest report. Officers say they found open containers of alcohol and two used hypodermic needles within reach of the children.
Joseph M. Castaneda, 31, and his wife, Vanessa C. Geraty, 19, were each jailed on five charges of child abuse and neglect.
Also in October, discovered a 6-year-old girl living in a Budget Inn motel room with her parents. They described the room as being in total disarray, with feces in the tub and two uncapped syringes in the child's bag.
Officers arrested Misty Dorwart, 35, of Fort Myers, on child neglect and drug charges and Jeremy Dorwart, 35, on a charge of possession of a controlled substance.
In September, sheriff's deputies serving an arrest warrant for failure to appear in court on their mother discovered a 6-year-old boy and his 3-year-old sister in a stench-filled Venice home with a backed-up toilet, sewage in the carpet and scattered syringes.
James McArdle, 29, and Kristina Lee Reilly, 26 — who reportedly admitted to being addicted to opiates — were arrested on multiple charges that include child neglect and cruelty to animals. Animal Control officers seized the family's emaciated dog.
Do these stories sicken you too? We have to find a way to protect our children from the ravages of abuse from their parents. Remember abuse is not only physical. The mental and emotional abuse caused by drug addiction can be devastating.