Prosecutor: Mother's drinking led to newborn's death

[The Straight Story]

Prosecutor: Mother's drinking led to newborn's death
Two-pound baby girl was born with a blood alcohol level of 0.17

Published: Thursday, December 21, 2006 11:29 PM CST
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ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) - An eastern Missouri woman faces involuntary manslaughter charges - authorities say she drank alcohol before giving birth to a baby girl who died of acute intoxication.

Prosecutors in St. Charles County filed charges Wednesday against Sherri Lohnstein, 33, of Foley.

The 2-pound girl, Zreanna, was born Sept. 9 and died a short time after birth. Authorities say Lohnstein drank throughout her pregnancy.

Police said Lohnstein was drunk when she arrived at St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake St. Louis. They said someone sneaked a bottle of vodka into her room after the baby was born.

http://www.lakesunleader.com/articles/2006/12/25/beyond_the_lake/03.txt

[williesgirl]

1. I feel for her other children, who will lose their Mother and the expected baby.

No mention of a father in the picture in the article. Hopefully, he has a relationship with the other kids and can take them in when she goes to jail.

[gollygee]

2. I don't know how they're going to prove that

the baby didn't die because it was 2 pounds when it was born.

The problem I have is that this could lead to mothers being questioned every time they give birth to a baby who is born with problems.

I have mixed feelings. Obviously this woman did something horrible and stupid. I don't think she actually did anything illegal. And while I don't mind the idea of her being charged, I don't like the idea in general of pregnant women being scrutinized in that way.

If she *does* get charged than whoever snuck in the vodka should too.

[beam me up scottie]

6. I agree. This sets a dangerous precedent.

This part especially bothers me: "Police said Lohnstein drank throughout pregnancy against the advice of her doctors. Court records obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch show she signed a form from her doctor making her aware of the risks of drinking while pregnant."

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. She was drunk when she showed up to give birth

IMO, that gave cops the right to investigate.

[AZBlue]

21. Based on an autopsy of the baby as well as the baby's and the mother's health otherwise

they'll be able to tell if they baby was only 2 pounds because of her drinking. That's really a more appropriate question.

As for mothers being questioned if anything is wrong with their babies - this woman was drunk while she was giving birth. That would give anyone reasonable cause to question the actions of this woman while she was carrying the baby - and it probably didn't take them long to find out the truth from her and her family/friends.

As for the crime she's being charged with - it's involuntary manslaughter, which seems entirely appropriate for this situation.

[Kagemusha]

3. I have a lot of problems with this story. Maybe other sources reveal more

I mean, no word on how long the woman had been carrying the baby. I'm not familiar with alcohol being associated with particularly low birth weight though I'm hardly an expert..

[LeftyMom]

5. The latest study I've seen showed that daily moderate consumption was associated with low birth

weight, while weekend consumption (social drinking, I assume) was not. Alcohol also increased the risk of smoking while pregnant.

Low birth weight is one indicator of fetal alcohol syndrome as well.

[Kagemusha]

8. This weight isn't just low. It's catastrophically low

I've never heard of a weight this low not associated with say, crack cocaine. That's why I ask.

[LeftyMom]

10. If mom is a serious drunk, she may be badly malnourished.

That may be a factor. I'd be interested to see if the baby was premature (almost certainly at that weight) and by how much.

[Kagemusha]

11. I would too. Sad case any way you slice it (nt)

nt

[kath]

12. Likely very PREMATURE, which was the cause of the low birth weight.

900 gm infants frequently die due to complications of prematurity. 900 grams is an average birth weight for a female infant of around 26-27 weeks gestation. Alcohol will cause *some* growth retardation, but not that much. Not clear how much of a role the alcohol played...

Poor reporting, which is SOOOOOO common these days. I get so sick of reading a story or hearing a "news" report which leaves me with more QUESTIONS than ANSWERS. What ever happened to the old "who, what, when, where, why and how"??????

[Kagemusha]

13. I agree completely about the poor reporting.

The article reads like advocacy against drinking while pregnant - which, granted, is a bad thing - by not presenting this as possibly anything but a purely alcohol-related incident.

[AZBlue]

22. She was 29 weeks old - only three weeks premature. That doesn't explain a 2 lb birth weight.

Babies can be born as early as 32 weeks with no expected complications.

[Tansy_Gold]

23. Correct me if I'm wrong, but full term is 39 weeks, not 32.

This baby was 10 weeks premature.

[Clark2008]

26. 40 weeks, two of which you aren't pregnant because they

count it from the last menstrual cycle. The actual gestation is 38 weeks.

I'm pregnant (and not drinking alcohol).

[AZBlue]

28. It's 32 - 42 depending upon the female and the pregnancy.

A baby born at 32 weeks is not automatically "premature."

[likesmountains 52]

29. I work in a NICU...32 weeks by gestational exam is...premature..

[AZBlue]

30. Not always. I was born at 28 weeks, 8 pounds, 21 inches.

Went home the next day.

(and, no, there was no mistake made in the calculations)

[Quantess]

16. This links says fetal alcohol is attributable to low birth weight.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/fas.html

[Kagemusha]

17. Two things there

a) I'm sure you meant to phrase that differently (low birth weight being attributable to fetal alcohol syndrome). No biggie.

b) Without knowing the DEGREE to which fetal alcohol syndrome is supposed to be able to affect weight - as another poster has also said, it's just not known to cause weight quite this low - I can't really just blindly accept that it must be the alcohol alone based on this yeoman's guide to the syndrome. It'd take a doctor or at least, much more accurate journalism, to be more confident about this. The sloppy article's not the fault of anyone on this forum, though. Take care!

[Quantess]

18. Yes, I was implying Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Based on what was reported about the mother, it sounds like she is a really bad alcoholic, and it's realistic to assume that the baby was born with fetal alcohol affects because mom drank heavily throughout pregnancy. But, we'll never know for sure.

[Kagemusha]

19. It seems likely even if other factors were at work, the baby had FAS

We just don't know what else was going on, if anything. (Edit: Because 'what was reported' is too thin on that point...)

[valerief]

4. Sue the drug dealers not the junkie. That's another take on it. nt

[Quantess]

7. If this woman is so completely unable to stop drinking,

why did she not do the right thing and get an abortion?

Rhetorical question, I know.

[Karenina]

9. I feel nothing but compassion for this poor woman

and the baby who died. Having gone through this incarnation perhaps she will not have to return to this realm. Hey, she may have lucked out BIG TIME! This planet at this time... Oy vey! Thank you, no, seems a perfectly acceptable response.

[cynatnite]

15. The baby's blood alcohol was .17

The limit for driving is .08 and that's for adults. I do think that's criminal...

but considering the low birth weight and the lack of details on the rest of the baby's health, there isn't enough information to say her drinking is directly attributed to the baby's death.

[Crunchy Frog]

20. I hate to say it

but it's probably just as well that the child didn't survive. She would have been profoundly damaged, and with a mother who could not have been anything other than abusive and neglectful.

I hope that there is more focus on getting help for this woman than on punishing her.

[Quantess]

24. Sad but true.

It's probably merciful that the baby died.
And, punishing this woman will do no good. She has a sickness and needs help.

[Rex]

25. Did anyone try to get her into counseling? You can't tell me people

just ignored the obvious danger from chronic drinking and being pregnant! Did she live in a hole?

[WindRavenX]

27. alcoholics often have enablers

It sounds like this was a case-- if someone actually snuck a bottle of vodka to her...:(