What to Know
- A grandmother is being charged with giving her grandson methadone.
- She now faces five charges and is being held at the Calvert County Detention Center on a no bond status.
- The child is expected to make a full recovery.
A woman has been charged with child abuse after her 15-month-old grandson was hospitalized following a methadone overdose. Calvert County police said the incident happened inside the woman’s home.
Judith Anne Badrian Tetreault, 55, was charged with first- and second-degree child abuse, attempted poisoning, first-degree assault, neglect of a minor and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.
According to court documents, Tetreault said the child wouldn’t stop crying. Investigators said she sent a text message to her daughter, saying, “Don’t be mad at me,” and “I did not drug him.”
Investigators believe she did drug the boy.
Calvert County Assistant Sheriff Dave McDowell said authorities were told by child protective services that a 1-year-old boy had been poisoned by methadone. Deputies responded and searched Tetreault's Lusby, Maryland, home.
“Preliminary investigation leads us to believe that the child ingested methadone while in [Tetreault's] care,” McDowell said.
U.S. & World
The child’s mother told investigators her son’s “sippy cup” smelled funny. It was being tested in a Baltimore laboratory, and deputies said it could be an additional piece of evidence.
Donald Noland, who lives inside the home, said he was there when Tetreault was babysitting. “I’ve never seen her treat the baby bad,” Noland said.
He said he heard the child crying but believes his friend is innocent.
“I was sitting right there. She didn’t give the baby no methadone,” Noland said.
“The good news is that the child is making and [is] expected to make a full recovery and … anytime that can happen, that’s a good day,” McDowell said.
The investigation is ongoing. Tetreault is expected to be back in court on March 13.
