Toddler Drinks Granny's Meth-Laced Tea, Police Say

A woman was behind bars Tuesday on suspicion of child endangerment after allegedly putting methamphetamine into a cup of tea, some of which her 2-year-old granddaughter drank, authorities said.

Cynthia Watson, 51, of Aloha, Oregon, was taken into custody on Monday after the girl was treated at a hospital, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department reported.

Watson was booked at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning and being held in lieu of $35,000 bail on suspicion of felony child endangerment and possession of methamphetamine, the sheriff's department reported.

The child was released from the medical facility, and was expected to make a full recovery, according to the sheriff's department.

About 10 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to a child endangerment call in the 31000 block of Pine Street in Garner Valley, according to the sheriff's department.

"The reporting party advised she tried to put her 2-year-old daughter to bed the previous evening, but she would not fall asleep," a sheriff's statement said.

"Her daughter was talking rapidly, scratching her skin, could not sit still, and was very agitated," the statement said. "Thinking there might be some medical issue with her daughter, the reporting party took her to a local hospital to be examined. Over the course of the evening, the examination revealed the child tested positive for methamphetamine."

Deputies learned that the suspect was staying at the Pine Street address with the family.

"Deputies learned that Watson had made a cup of tea the night before, and placed methamphetamine in the tea to get herself high," the sheriff's statement said. "At some point, the cup of methamphetamine-laced tea was left unattended on a counter, (and) the 2-year-old victim took the cup and drank some of the contents."

--City News Service.