Pubdate: Thu, 01 Jan 2004 Source: Tullahoma News (TN) Copyright: The Tullahoma News 2004 Contact: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=49033&BRD=1614&PAG=461&dept_id=161070& Website: http://www.tullahomanews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2031 Author: Linda Barr Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) 'METH' LEAVES TRAIL OF WRECKED HOMES AND DESERTED CHILDREN If you think the problem of methamphetamine can be swept under a rug in hopes it will just go away, think again. "Meth" is prevalent here in Coffee and surrounding counties and the manufacture and use of the illegal substance in its various forms is leaving in its wake destroyed homes, families and deserted children. One of those children - an eight-month-old baby - has recently been placed in permanent custody with a Winchester couple, the baby's next of kin, after several months in foster care. As soon as the baby was born, he was taken from the hospital by the Department of Children's Services and placed in foster care until a kinship home became available. The baby's biological father was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and his mother charged with supplying materials to the father for the manufacture of the addictive substance prior to the baby's birth. The offending parents were given several months to work out a plan proving they could provide a stable home for the child, but did not follow through, according to the new guardian. Due to the sensitive subject matter, the couple asked not to be identified and will be referred to as the "Smiths." "They had almost a year to straighten up and they didn't," Mrs. Smith said. "We got a lawyer to file an intervene petition for custody. "The lawyer was required to deliver it to the parents and from there, the court date was set," she said. The Winchester couple was granted full custody of the child based on information provided to the deciding judge from their attorney, the child's attorney and DCS. "It was easy for the judge to give us custody because the parents had been before him several times on other charges," Mrs. Smith said. "We didn't even have to go before the judge." The foster parents who had raised the baby from his first days were not happy about the situation, but Mrs. Smith said she thought it best for him to be in a permanent home with family. "They are foster parents of other children and operate a licensed day care facility," Mrs. Smith said. "With us, he is the only child and gets all the attention. "And I feel like that's better for him since his biological parents aren't there. "He's very happy," she added. "Now we're hoping to terminate parental rights and adopt." The Smiths have been told by doctors that they will be unable to have children of their own. "That's the worst news you could ever hear," Mrs. Smith said. "I think God knew the baby was going to need a home. It's like that's what I was meant to do." In another case involving methamphetamine, a Tullahoma couple, also requesting anonymity, has for several months been caring for children separated from their parents following a meth lab raid at their home. Not only are the fumes released while cooking the meth toxic to the children, posing a long-term health threat, but the chemicals can easily explode if one wrong move is made, placing the children in eminent danger. If the concoction is mixed improperly, it could result in cyanide gas, which is fatal if inhaled. Although they have children of their own, the Tullahoma couple agreed to take the siblings in. They have grown attached to the children and the hardest part, they said, is waiting to see if the parents will serve time in jail or if the children will be given back to them. The couple will be referred to as the Greenes. According to DCS workers, some meth offenders roam free for more than a year during trial preparations. If they do serve time in jail, they can't wait to get out to finish what they started, Mrs. Greene said, referring to the meth labs. "I just wish the system worked better against meth offenders," she said. "The justice system doesn't send a strong enough message to make it safer for the rest of the community. "They (courts) should punish them sooner. It's not fair to the foster parents or the children. "That's the cycle these kids are learning to live with - disappointment after disappointment," she said. "The justice system should work with DCS better and support the police who obtain the evidence and catch these people, risking their lives busting meth labs," Mrs. Greene said. The number of women choosing to use meth while carrying their unborn children shows meth's strangle-hold on some users. While long-term effects of meth-addicted babies are unknown at this time, several birth defects are associated with meth use by the mother during gestation, including a smaller than normal heart. Although the problem of methamphetamine is not a new one, it is constantly evolving, according to Billy Cook, criminal investigator for the 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office in Manchester. Methamphetamine labs began emerging approximately six years ago in Coffee County, Cook said. At first, the problem was large labs manufacturing vast quantities of the drug. Federal indictments and lengthy prison terms for large lab operators has led to a shift to smaller box labs that are easily transported to meth sites, such as hotels, Cook said. Although he recognizes that the manufacturing of meth is a serious problem, he does not believe the situation is "out of control." "We're working on it daily. We're doing exactly what needs to be done," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin