Advocacy Center raises flag for baby who overdosed on mom’s cocaine

Advocacy Center raises flag for baby who overdosed on mom’s cocaine

‘ Every time we raise this flag to remember a child lost to violence, abuse or neglect, we hope it will be the last time’

news@theeveningtimes.com

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Eastern Arkansas hoisted a child abuse awareness flag in memory of Anton Lewis. Lewis died after he was left unintended by his parents in an East Broadway motel in May.

The 17 month old got into their illegal drug stash and ingested a lethal quantity.

The Flag will fly this week outside the West Memphis Police Department to mark the child abuse death.

“They were selling crack cocaine out of the room,” said police spokesman Captain Joe Baker. “The baby and three other children were in the room. The drugs were left out. And the baby ate a lethal quantify of cocaine. We had to wait on an autopsy report because there was nothing visibly we could see reason for the death.”

County Multi Disciplinary Team Coordinator Debbie Holmes presided over the memorial service and called for child abuse awareness in the community.

“Every time we raise this flag to remember a child lost to violence, abuse or neglect, we hope it will be the last time; but tragically here we are again,” said Holmes. “Today we are here to honor the memory of a little boy that should still be with us. Let us keep Anton in our memories and resolve to do what we can to protect the most vulnerable children in our community and continue to work together as a community to protect each and every child from harm.”

Police said reporting suspicions was key to protecting innocent young lives.

“If you see something, say something,” said Baker.

Holmes asked everyone to put the child abuse hotline number into their sped dial. “Help prevent future tragedies by programming the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline number, 844SAVE-A-CHILD, into your phone, get to know your neighbors kids, be a mentor, and take a training course to learn how to prevent child abuse. We all have a duty to call the hotline and make a report if we suspect a child is being abused or neglected, even if we are not sure.” This CAC flag raising marked the second CAC child abuse memorial in Crittenden County. Almost a year ago the blue flag with paper doll characters holding hands was raised in the memory of Christopher Garner Jr. who died, forgotten in a hot van at Ascent Children’s Health Services in West Memphis.

The prosecutor in the Gardner case, Tom Young, delivered an update in a separate interview last week. The case against four former special needs preschool employees, is not yet set for trial. Felicia Phillips, Pamela Robinson, Wanda Taylor, and Kendra Washington were charged in the death of the five year old boy.

“This will be continued on the defense motion based on discovery,” said Young.

Young had recently received documents related to worker training and shared “two banker boxes” with the defense attorneys.

Young said it would be a while for defense attorneys to cull through the voluminous

files.

“We were only able to get it to them at the beginning of this month,” said Young. “It’s on their motion and I’ll not oppose it because it took us a while to go through it and I’m sure it will take them more than a minute, too.”

By John Rech