NOTE FROM Ann Blake-Tracy (www.drugawareness.org):
Keep in mind that the tricyclic antidepressants, like Amitriptyline, (the cause
of this child’s death) Imipramine, etc. have been given to small children for
decades now for bed wetting!
effect in increasing serotonin levels. When you interfere with the metabolism of
serotonin you increase the level of serotonin because it then begins to back up
causing serotonin levels to rise. (See the chapter “Serotonin Doubletalk” in the
book “Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? – Our Serotonin Nightmare” to learn the
amazing deception behind the serotonin reuptake theory.
) In fact Amitriptyline interferes with themetabolism of serotonin at anywhere from 21% – 37% depending on the study
you refer to. In comparison one of the newest and most powerful SSRI
antidepressants, Celexa, interferes with serotonin metabolism at the
rate of 29%. They are very similar in this respect.
increases in serotonin levels, many adverse reactions can occur. As you keep in
mind that the main function of serotonin is constriction of smooth muscle
tissue, such as the bronchial tubes, all the major organs of the body, you can
quickly understand why this little child could no longer breathe. High levels of
Amitriptyline would have interfered with the metabolism of serotonin to the
extent as to shut the lungs down due to the high levels of serotonin
backing up in his system. The condition is known medically as Serotonin
Syndrome. And as you see from this case, Serotonin Syndrome can be
fatal.
anti-depressant pills prescribed to her
and fed them to toddler Renzo.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6825876.ece
Mother jailed for killing baby with antidepressants
A mother was jailed for six years today
for killing her 20-month-old son by doping him to make him sleep.
Laura-Jane Vestuto, 28, crushed anti-depressant pills prescribed to her
and fed them to toddler Renzo.
She had been giving the medication to
Renzo for weeks before he developed breathing problems and died after being
taken to hospital in September 2007.
Tests showed the drug had built up
in his body and he had ten times the safe adult dose in his system, the Old
Bailey heard.
Traces of Amitriptyline were found on baby medicine
feeders but police believe he may have also been given the drug in his juice or
milk.
Judge Peter Thornton told Vestuto she had given Renzo sedatives to
make life easier for herself.
He said: “Instead of bearing the everyday
responsibility of being a parent, caring and loving for your son, you embarked
on a deliberate course of administering adult drugs, knowing that was wrong and
risky.
“You gave him drugs for purely selfish, self-centred reasons,
thinking only of yourself.”
The judge said Vestuto had been prescribed
the drug seven times in the months leading up to the boy’s death, but was not
taking it herself when Renzo died.
Traces of other drugs, including
painkillers, were also found in his system.
Judge Thornton added: “You
repeatedly administered these drugs, calmly and deliberately, knowing it was
wrong and not the way to care for children.”
He said Vestuto had shown
little emotion when her son died after being taken to hospital.
She had
compounded the suffering of her mother and former husband by denying given Renzo
the medication – and trying to throw the blame on them.
Sarah
Whitehouse, prosecuting, said Vestuto had been prescribed the drug for backache
and to make her sleep.
She told a neighbour that Renzo had been given
medicine by her GP to make him sleep while he was teething – but the doctor said
he was never consulted about teething problems.
Miss Whitehouse said it
was not possible to say how long Vestuto had been giving the drug to the boy.
Isabella Forshall, defending, said Vestuto had not intended to harm the
boy.
Miss Forshall said: “She meant it to help Renzo. There were a
number of small doses which suddenly overwhelmed poor Renzo.
“All she
wanted to be was a mum and housewife. Renzo was well-nourished and looked after.
“Like any parent, she was distressed when he was teething and miserable,
and that is why she took the step she did – a desperately reckless one.”
Vestuto, of Clapton, east London, pleaded guilty in July to causing or
allowing Renzo’s death.
An alternative charge of manslaughter was left
to lie on file after she pleaded not guilty.
