Pregnant Bradenton heroin addict charged with child neglect

BRADENTON -- A pregnant Bradenton mother, who police say is a heroin addict, faces a child-neglect charge after investigators say she was under the influence of other drugs while taking care of her daughter, according to the Bradenton Police Department.

Stacy Borden, 27, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant charging her with child neglect. She was held at Manatee County jail on $10,000 bond.

Bradenton police learned of the allegations in October when called to a home in the 3500 block of Ninth Street West in Bradenton, according to a police report. A Manatee County Sheriff's Office child protective investigator reported Borden was caring for the girl while under the influence.

When police met with Borden, they reported she was slurring her speech, her eyes were dilated and she was very slow to answer questions.

She told police, since she was pregnant, she was taking medication for her heroin addiction at her doctor's recommendation instead of going to a methadone clinic. She said she couldn't afford the medications, according to police.

Borden submitted to a voluntary drug screen, which came back positive for marijuana and Valium, police reported.

Police spoke with Borden's daughter who said she felt safe, never saw her mother take drugs and had plenty to eat but felt tired and sick due to cystic fibrosis.

The child protective investigator, however, found an inadequate amount of food in the house and, due to the state the mother was in, removed the girl from home, according to the report.

On Nov. 2, police received results of a doctor's forensic examination that confirmed indications of medical neglect.

Police submitted a capias request to the State Attorney's Office to consider filing charges. On May 2, a warrant was issued for Borden's arrest.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 11:35 PM with the headline "Pregnant Bradenton heroin addict charged with child neglect ."