North Augusta police arrested a local mom Friday after her newborn daughter tested positive for cocaine, authorities said.
Taisha Bowen, 38, of Maddox Avenue, North Augusta, was charged with unlawful neglect of a child.
Hospital authorities told police Bowen gave birth to a daughter recently at Georgia Regents University Hospital and the newborn tested positive for cocaine at the time of birth. Authorities then tested a strand of hair from the mother, which came back positive for cocaine as well.
That led to the charge against the mother. A police report does not indicate what happened to the child.
Bowen has been released on bond.
The effect of cocaine use on a fetus may last a lifetime. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, exposure to cocaine in the womb can lead to subtle, yet significant, deficits later in children. These deficits usually show up in areas such as cognitive performance, information-processing, and attention to tasks. These are areas that are vital for success not just in school, but in life.
