TRIMBELLE, Wisconsin — A 3-week-old boy is dead, and the details that investigators uncovered in the days that followed are as heartbreaking as they are disturbing.
On March 14, deputies from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the town of Trimbelle — a small community about 45 miles from Minneapolis — after a report of an infant not breathing.
When a sergeant arrived, the baby boy was pale and bluish. A dark substance surrounded his mouth and nose. He had no pulse. He was not breathing.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but there was nothing left to do. Medical personnel pronounced the child dead at the scene.
What Investigators Found
As detectives began piecing together what happened, the mother — identified as Kittelson — told investigators she had used methamphetamine throughout her entire pregnancy.
She said she smoked meth three days before the baby died, then breastfed him.
She claimed she had “pumped and dumped” her breast milk for 48 hours and used milk stored from when she was “clean.” She said she was confused about how her son could have been exposed.
But investigators found something on her phone that told a different story.
She had searched online for how long meth stays in breast milk.
Autopsy Results
The medical examiner’s autopsy confirmed what detectives suspected. The 3-week-old boy died of methamphetamine toxicity.
Her partner, Olson, reportedly admitted to obtaining the meth that both of them used.
Both Kittelson and Olson have an initial court appearance scheduled for September 2.
A newborn trusted the one person in the world who was supposed to protect him. That trust cost him his life.
What do you think should happen to parents in cases like this? Share your thoughts in the comments.