Pubdate: Tue, 18 Oct 2005
Source: Bismarck Tribune (ND)
Copyright: 2005 The Bismarck Tribune
Contact:  http://www.bismarcktribune.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/47
Author: Katie Brown
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

ARGUMENTS HEARD IN CASE OF METH USE AND BABY

A woman charged with child abuse and neglect for exposing her unborn 
baby to methamphetamine appeared in Burleigh County District Court on 
Monday for a preliminary hearing.

Orlonda Hopkins, 19, of Mandan, is accused of smoking meth from the 
time she was seven months pregnant to June 16, when her son was born.

Bismarck Police Detective Mark Gaddis testified that doctors at 
Medcenter One noticed the baby was acting strangely. He would not 
wake up to be fed. His behavior prompted doctors to test him for 
various drugs, and the tests came back positive for meth.

Gaddis said that Hopkins, during questioning, admitted to smoking 
meth up to 10 times during the final two months of her pregnancy. He 
said she may have done meth the day before the child was born. The 
child is still in the custody of Burleigh CountySocial Services.

Gaddis said the baby boy was no longer exhibiting symptoms of meth 
exposure by June 20. Hopkins' attorney, Wayne Goter, said the baby 
had no injuries, so the child abuse charge should be thrown out. He 
also said the unborn baby was not legally an actual child at the time 
of the abuse and brought up abortion in his argument.

"Until there's a day that we recognize the unborn as a person, and 
abortion is illegal, this case doesn't belong in court, for a number 
of reasons," Goter said.

Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Lloyd Suhr said that since 
the child tested positive after he was born, Hopkins' meth use 
constitutes abuse.

"If the child hadn't tested positive after birth, this case wouldn't 
be before you," Suhr said.

Goter submitted a memorandum of law citing why he thinks the case 
should be thrown out. Burleigh County District Judge Thomas Schneider 
allowed the state a week to submit a written response to the 
memorandum, at which time Schneider will rule whether the case will 
go to trial.

Hopkins is being held in the Burleigh County Detention Center without bond.

She is currently serving a one-year sentence for a probation violation.
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