Officers find infants crying in SUV as moms overdose in front seats
BOYNTON BEACH, FLA. – Police officers in Florida rescued two infants after finding their mothers overdosing in the front seats of an SUV last week, according to officials.
Police body cam footage showed the two children, 1 and 2 months old, crying and still strapped into their carseats.
"We are sharing this story with you in hopes of preventing it from happening again and prompting anyone addicted to drugs to seek help," the department posted on Facebook.
Police got a call Oct. 5 from a good Samaritan who noticed one woman overdosing, and the second begin to convulse after trying to call 911. "For whatever reason, they decided to buy heroin and then snorted it while inside the car with the their children," Boynton Beach police said.
Officers arrested the women, 27-year-old Kristen O'Conner and 28-year-old June Schweinhart, who were both treated at a local hospital. They were charged with child neglect and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail.
The responding officers brought the babies back to headquarters where "they were snuggled for several hours" before the Department of Children and Families eventually left them in the care of family members, police said.
"This is an incredibly tragic situation and ultimately, the ones most affected by this are those innocent, beautiful babies," the department wrote on Facebook. "We hope this serves as a wake up call for these moms, and that they seek further treatment for their addiction. We sincerely wish them all the best."