A couple from Georgia was charged with murder after their 10-week old infant died of water intoxication after they diluted breast milk and water. They were arrested on Wednesday, a month after they brought their daughter to the hospital.
Apparently, they could not afford to buy formula milk and Lauren Heather Fristed, 25, wasn't producing enough breast milk to sustain the hunger of her baby. Herbert George Landell, 26, and Fristed rushed Nevaeh Marie to the Gwinnett Medical Center after they found her not breathing but according to the doctors, it was too late.
When their infant was born, the couple refused to get medical treatment for their daughter, reports News.com.au. According to Detective Charles Hamrick, from Duluth in the US, as he was giving evidence in court, the couple told him that they did not have money to buy formula so they started adding water to breast milk.
Pediatricians are not recommending parents to give water to their babies just to satisfy their hunger because it might cause water intoxication. According to USA Today, diluting breast milk with water might be detrimental and fatal for a baby.
"Babies should not drink water until they are at least 6 months old," said Dr. Sujatha Reddy, a physician at Premier Care for Women in Atlanta and WXIA-TV medical correspondent.
Water intoxication can cause sodium and electrolyte imbalance in the body which babies cannot tolerate because of their immature systems. Fluid and electrolyte imbalance can lead to seizures, coma and even death.
The investigation also revealed that the couple and the baby lived in an apartment with unsanitary surroundings. In fact, Hamrick described Nevaeh's physical condition in court as "just really skinny, didn't look healthy. I rolled the baby over on her back, there was no baby fat, the back bone was protruding out."
