Preemie newborn twins bleed from lungs, die after mother takes cocktail of drugs throughout pregnancy: Police

Tennessee authorities charged a 29-year-old woman with murder after her twin babies died at a Chatanooga hospital earlier this week.

FOX Chatanooga reports that Tiffany Marie Roberts is facing felony murder and child abuse charges after her newborn twin girls died at TC Thompson Children’s Hospital on Tuesday. According to police, Roberts tested positive for a cocktail of drugs on three different occasions during her prenatal checkups. The drugs reportedly included cocaine, benzodiazepine, meth, oxycodone, and Roxicodone.

Doctors performed an emergency delivery Sunday when the woman began complaining of breath shortness after reportedly taking an ecstasy pill. Roberts was just 23 weeks pregnant when she gave birth.

Medical staff contacted authorities after the twins were born and tested positive for several narcotics.

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“Based on Ms. Roberts’ illicit drug use during her pregnancy, in conjunction with the medical records, the infants were subject to aggravated child abuse and neglect which later led to their deaths,” officers wrote in the arrest affidavit.

Roberts also tested positive for ecstasy on the day she gave birth, police said.

Times Free Press reports that according to court documents, the babies died from pulmonary hemorrhaging, meaning severe bleeding from the lungs. According to Access Pediatrics, maternal cocaine use can cause infant pulmonary hemorrhaging.

Roberts was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse or neglect. She’s being held on $1million bond at the Hamilton County Jail.

Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.

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