Children Injured by Drug or Alcohol Addicted Parents
Some mothers who are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol expose their children during pregnancy to these harmful substances leaving them addicted and permanently injured at birth. Mothers struggling with drug or alcohol addiction can expose their unborn children to harmful substances, leaving many babies born already dependent. In some cases, hospitals discharge infants to parents still battling long-term addictions. Sometimes, these children are discharged to their parents who have not overcome their addictions, which may have existed for years. If the parents have not successfully overcome their addictions by participating in drug or alcohol treatment programs, these children may be in harm’s way. Some children have been seriously injured because of a lack of appropriate supervision. Others have died, including sleeping deaths where parents who are under the influence of substances have rolled over the children at night.
Parents not enrolled in treatment programs often cannot provide safe, stable care. Children in these homes face serious risks: some suffer injuries when left unsupervised, while others die in preventable accidents such as suffocation during sleep. These tragedies could often be avoided with proper intervention.
Justice for Kids® advocates for children harmed by addicted parents, taking legal action when dependency systems fail. Our team works with families to hold negligent caregivers and institutions accountable, ensuring children receive the protection and support they deserve.
Our unique approach also provides resources and guidance for families seeking help for addiction-related child injuries. By stepping in where authorities fail, we aim to prevent further tragedies and create safer environments for vulnerable children.
- Jury Awarded $15 Million to Brain Damaged 8-Year-Old Child in Damages Case Against DCF for Negligent Investigation Daytona Beach, FL – In one of the largest jury awards in Florida history of its kind, a young girl has been awarded a $15 million verdict against the Florida Department of Children & Families (”DCF”) for negligently investigating abuse reports that her mother had abused drugs endangering the child. The eight-year-old girl who is referred to as H.H., was tortured and suffered permanent traumatic brain injury and quadriplegia from repeated episodes of abusive head trauma and is now completely dependent on others for all aspects of her daily functioning. Stacie Schmerlingand Lisa Elliott, attorneys with the Justice for Kids® Division of Kelley Kronenberg, represented H.H., by and through her permanent guardian Michele Mitchell in this lawsuit.
Case Against Child Welfare Agencies That Allowed Child to be Discharged to Drug Addict Mom Settles for Undisclosed Amount. Florida child abuse attorneys sued child welfare agencies, a substance abuse provider, and a hospital in Pinellas County, FL on behalf of a child who suffered permanent brain damage and other injuries due to malnutrition and neglect when he was six months old. The child was born substance exposed to a mother with an extensive substance abuse history and prior child welfare history. The child was left in his mother’s care, and the family was placed under voluntary “diversion” services for approximately three months. The child sustained his injuries six weeks after the diversion case closed.
Legal Help Provided Children:
FL Child Wrongful Death Law Firm
FL Child Civil Rights Law Firm