By Ben Watson – bio | email MEMPHIS, TN -
(WMC-TV) – A Memphis mother appeared in drug court Wednesday morning on charges she delivered a baby with cocaine in her system.
Ora Boler is charged with reckless endangerment. According to an affidavit of complaint, Boler is a known crack cocaine user.
The affidavit said that on November 14, Boler’s daughter was born at the Regional Medical Center with cocaine in her system. Boler has six children in all, and that are reports that her daughter is Boler’s fourth child that was born at the hospital and tested positive for cocaine.
During court proceedings, Judge Tim Dwyer arranged for Boler to undergo mental and physical screenings for a new drug court program for mothers who deliver babies that have cocaine in their system.
The program is aimed at rehabilitation. If Boler passes the screening, she will be enrolled in the program. For 18 months, she will receive intensive drug treatment, counseling and supervision.
Just how much treatment Boler receives will depend on what court officials find out when she goes through her screenings scheduled for Friday.
Since August, there have been six other mothers enrolled in the program.
If Boler is accepted into the program and completes it successfully, her charges could get dismissed. If she fails to complete the program, she will be back in court to face felony reckless endangerment charges and the jail time that goes with it.
Boler’s infant daughter is in state custody, but it is now clear where her other children are.
Court officials said there are no guarantees that mothers who complete the program will get their children back, but completing the program successfully could help.
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Source: http://www.wmctv.com/story/16600322/woman-faces-judge-after-daughter-tests-positive-for-cocaine