Newborn dies after cocaine exposure through breastfeeding, parents receive suspended sentences

In Newquay, a nine-day-old baby named Darcey died after cocaine was detected in her bloodstream, a result prosecutors said stemmed from her mother’s breastfeeding while using the drug. Parents Andrew Maunder and Rochelle Thomas, who were lodged at Hotel Victoria awaiting a move north for family support, pleaded guilty to child neglect at Truro Crown Court. Evidence from hair and blood tests confirmed prolonged cocaine consumption by both adults, and investigators noted the presence of the drug on clothing, hands and a bedside cup.

Judge Simon Carr condemned the parents for exposing the child to cocaine during pregnancy and after birth, yet imposed two-and-a-half-year sentences suspended for three years, coupled with twelve months of probation and drug-rehabilitation requirements. Both defendants expressed remorse, and the court emphasized the tragedy while focusing on treatment rather than incarceration.