Baby girl found crying on floor of squalid caravan near sharp objects had cocaine in her system
A seven-month-old baby was found crying among sharp objects and drug paraphernalia at the foot of her unconscious mother in a squalid caravan with her father high on cocaine nearby.
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The infant's body was tested and found to contain a cocaine by-product after police found her and her parents in "extreme squalor" in a caravan near Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard on Friday.
The child's mother, who is from Wednesbury, and father were in court to be sentenced for child neglect.
Police officers visited the caravan on the evening of March 16 last year after concerns were raised for the welfare of the baby and parents living there.
"They gained entrance although there was some delay, and during that time they could hear a child crying," prosecutor John Oates told the court.
Officers met the child's father who was "clearly under the influence of drugs" and "told them he had taken cocaine when police entered the caravan".
"They found it was in a state of extreme squalor.
"[The girl's mother] was unconscious on a sofa with the baby next to her feet."
Screws, sharp objects and drug paraphernalia were seen on the floor near the baby. The girl's father showed police crack cocaine and a bag of white powder.
"It became clear that [the mother] had also taken cocaine," Mr Oates said.
