NJ court sides with mom who gave birth while on methadone
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey's Supreme Court says a woman can't be considered to have abused and neglected her child because the infant was born with symptoms of methadone withdrawal.
The ruling published Monday reverses a lower court ruling that required her custody to be state-supervised.
The woman had become addicted to a prescription painkiller after she was injured in a car accident. When she became pregnant, she was advised to take methadone because she could jeopardize her pregnancy if she suddenly stopped taking the painkiller.
A family court judge ruled in favor of the state and cited other factors including a domestic violence incident. Monday's Supreme Court ruling faulted the appellate court for upholding that decision based solely on the baby's withdrawal symptoms.
The woman is identified by a pseudonym in court documents.
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