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Toddler ‘killed by poison used for his mum’s cannabis’
Lauren Booth at Bradford Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
A TODDLER died after drinking a poisonous substance his mother was using to grow cannabis, a court heard.
Aaron Booth, two, had not been fed since the day before and was hungry and thirsty when he got hold of the bottle when looking for a drink.
His mother, Lauren Booth, 24, was allegedly growing the drug in her home in Norris Close, Almondbury, Huddersfield, and the court heard she was asleep when Aaron drank the pH Up, used to treat water used in hydroponic gardening, just after midday.
Booth, who went to bed at around 6am that day, denies wilfully ill-treating or neglecting her son.
Thomas Storey, prosecuting, told Bradford Crown Court information on a notebook and laptop seized from the house, as well as Booth’s comments to Aaron’s father while their son was in hospital, showed the substance was being used for growing cannabis.
Aaron died 11 days later in hospital after his windpipe disintegrated. He had suffered several other injuries, including burns to his stomach, pancreas and spleen.
The court heard that Booth and her partner were awoken by a loud thud at 12.40pm on November 6 2010, to find Aaron lying down with a brown mouth and lips.
Booth’s partner raced across the road to borrow a telephone to call the emergency services.
By the time paramedics arrived, Aaron’s mouth and lips were purple and he was foaming at the mouth.
The court heard Aaron’s father, Mohammed Khan, did not know his son was in hospital until November 14, after a friend told him.
That day he went to the hospital where Booth seemed more concerned about having to move her cannabis plants than her son’s condition, according to the prosecutor.
Mr Storey said: “She told him that she and her partner had been trying to make some money by growing skunk in the house, almost seeming annoyed by the involvement of the police because they were going to have to find somewhere else to grow the skunk, seemingly not bothered about her son.”
The pH Up could have been mistaken by Aaron for the soft drink Fruit Shoot, said Mr Storey. But it contained a highly toxic concentration of potassium hydroxide, or caustic potash, and two teaspoons would been a fatal dose.
Mr Storey said: “The cultivation of cannabis also explains the presence in the house of that liquid pH Up.”
The case continues.
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Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
simpson.steve
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 01:33 PMWhat a sad, sad story! But what a ridiculous attempt once again to tie a death in with cannabis. This is purely down to bad, irresponsible parenting. That solution could just have well been any poisonous substance found in homes. Having said that, if prohibition didn't exist and there was a regulated supply, this sorry excuse for a parent would no doubt not have bothered growing cannabis at home.
DanFord
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 01:14 PMThis is awful... the poor little mite. We really have got to do something about this problem. I believe that the best thing to do is get it all out in the open. Grow the Cannabis in the open air on proper farms, save any danger from people growing it in such unhealthy conditions. and cut out all the gangland types who want to cash in on it. Just have licensed sellers who will be forbidden to sell it to minors, or they lose the licence. We really must do something about this before another tragedy occurs.
RealPropensity
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:04 AMEnough is enough. Cannabis production and distribution should not be an underground business. Cannabis was prohibited by politicians in 1902 bowing to alcohol industry vested interests; "Mr Earl Percy - The drug that they do use is not spirits, but ganja, which is exceedingly deleterious; at any rate, it is a stronger compound than the ordinary liquor." Source - http:goo.glsmA1V This was despite a comprehensive House of Commons report specifically advising against prohibition; In 1895 a report was presented to the UK House of commons regarding ganja (cannabis) use in India.http:goo.glIRW9Y Time to move beyond prohibition.
Jack Herer
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 09:36 AMWhat a total and utter disgrace eh. When are we going to end tragedies like this? When are we going to take cannabis production out of the hands of despicable criminals? How many more people have to suffer before we end this madness that is clearly harming society? This woman would never have been growing "skunk" had it not been for the massive profits she could make. Those massive profits are caused by prohibition. Why are we handing criminals those profits, when handing them supply has knock on tragedies like this? Not only that but criminals are getting richer and richer all the time, at a time when we desperately need money ourselves as a society. This is just a sick by-product of prohibition, and it needs to end. How many more children are we going to see die before that happens though? It's a disgrace.
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