Meds allegedly used to drug babies found in nanny's home
Some of it had been prescribed to the babysitter accused of poisoning infants
Some of the medicine found in the two babies allegedly poisoned by their babysitter had been prescribed to the woman.
Sa'adiah Jamari, 38, is accused of poisoning two baby girls - a five-month-old and an 11-month-old - with an assortment of medication, including those used for sleeping problems and anxiety. She is claiming trial to two counts of administering poisons.
According to court documents, one empty slab of zolpidem, commonly used for sleeping problems, and 10 tablets of chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine, were found in Sa'adiah's home on Dec 29, 2016.
A stained handkerchief with traces of medication diazepam, used to treat anxiety and seizures, and a milk bottle with traces of zolpidem, also known as Stilnox, were also found.
The court heard that in November and December 2016, the period when the alleged offences were said to have occurred, Sa'adiah was prescribed medication including Stilnox, Xanax, and diazepam, by Everhealth Medical Centre.
Over-the-counter medicines such as Ephedrine were also found in the bodies of the babies.
The mother of the 11-month-old had posted in a Facebook group called "Mummy's Group" in December 2016 that she needed someone to look after her daughter on the night of Dec 25.
The 22-year-old mother, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, was then contacted by the accused.
She took her daughter over to Sa'adiah's home on Christmas Day. Sa'adiah's two daughters, then 14 and 15, were also home that night.
On Dec 26 at around 6am, the mother's boyfriend picked the child up from Sa'adiah's home.
The mother testified yesterday that the baby appeared cranky and sleepy when she was picked up.
"I talked to her, but she seemed quite different," said the mother, adding the child kept closing her eyes.
She checked in with Sa'adiah throughout the night on how the baby was doing as it was the baby's first time in a stranger's home.
The mother said she fell asleep with the baby at around 9am. When the baby woke up about six hours later, the abnormal behaviour persisted.
DROWSY
The mother said: "After she (wakes up), her normal reaction is to play...But even after she woke up, she was still so drowsy."
She added that the child had difficulty walking.
Around 5pm that day, the baby was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, where she was admitted.
She was observed to have droopy eyelids, to be unable to sit or stand upright without support, and had difficulty walking.
Eight substances were detected in the infant's urine, and four substances were found in her blood.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
