CLARKS SUMMIT — A borough couple face child endangerment charges after police say their 9-month-old was hospitalized with marijuana in her system, likely from a medical marijuana gummy.
At about 4 p.m. on Dec. 8, Eric and Kellie Green, of 116 Stone Ave., called 911 to report their baby was unresponsive.
According to the criminal complaint:
When Office Alexander Keiser arrived, the couple asked that he stay outside because they were waiting for medical personnel. Keiser said he would not leave because he needed to collect information and to stabilize the scene in case the infant stopped breathing.
The 9-month-old was breathing and her eyes were open, but she wasn’t reacting to what was going on around her and wasn’t moving, police said.
The couple said they heard a scream and found their 8-year-old son next to his sister’s car seat. Kellie Green told police the baby had been asleep in the seat while she was painting the stairs.
While officers were talking with the parents, the 8-year-old ran outside and Keiser took him inside and supervised him.
The 9-month-old was transported to Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton and eventually transported to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville for treatment and observation.
On Dec. 9, police received a medical report which indicated that, when the child arrived at the hospital, she was seemingly under the influence of marijuana. A blood test was positive for the substance and Kellie Green told medical personnel there were marijuana gummies in the house.
Officers then interviewed Eric Green, who said his wife had put the 9-month-old down for a nap at about 2 p.m. on Dec. 8. When the baby woke up, she was “spacy” and the couple originally thought her brother hurt her.
Eric and Kellie both have medical marijuana cards, as does the 8-year-old, police said. In Pennsylvania, children are allowed medical marijuana for specific medical conditions.
The couple said they don’t leave marijuana gummies or drops around the house, but believed that the 8-year-old may have spit out one of the gummies, which made its way to the 9-month-old’s mouth.
The parents are both charged with endangering the welfare of children. Both have preliminary hearings scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 6 before District Judge Christopher Szewczyk.
