Pubdate: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Contact: 1998 The Orange County Register Website: http://www.ocregister.com/ Author: John McDonald BREAST-FEEDING METH USER PLEADS GUILTY A woman accused of killing her infant son by passing methamphetamine to him through her breast milk was sentenced to four years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to felony child endangerment. Cynthia Ann Pinson, 39, of Orange admitted to Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard F. Toohey that she used the drug before breast-feeding her 6-week-old son. Prosecutors dropped a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. The case was among a handful nationwide in which mothers have been charged with poisoning their babies by using drugs while nursing. "This is not the first case of a mother passing an illegal and dangerous drug to her child in breast milk," said Orange County Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Henderson. "We had one a few years aback that involved cocaine. I think this case reflects the growing use of methamphetamine, there is so much of it being used these days." Robert Henry Sage was found unconscious in his Oct. 26, 1996, and died a short time later. The death was attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, but Pinson later admitted using methamphetamine. Charges were brought more than a year later, when toxicology tests showed that the drug had contributed to the death, Henderson said. Deputy Public Defender Marne Glass said she was ready to defend Pinson against the manslaughter charge. "Our expert was prepared to testify that the methamphetamine was not the cause of death," Glass said. Pinson could be released in 16 months with credit for time served and good behavior, Glass said. - --- Checked-by: Patrick Henry