CALDWELL, Idaho (AP) - A woman suspected of starving her baby has been sentenced to five years of probation.
Tiffany Knapp was sentenced to probation and 180 days in jail and was ordered to pay court costs, the Idaho Press-Tribune reported (https://bit.ly/2o5Vtj4). Police said she was arrested in September after her infant was found severely malnourished.
Officials said Knapp had been feeding the infant Kool-Aid and diluted whole milk.
Records show the baby had gone to the hospital for failure to gain weight, but police found that Knapp never filled the prescription she was given for underweight babies.
“Your primary objective as a parent is to protect your child. You absolutely failed in that obligation to your child,” said Third District Judge Davis VanderVelde.
The infant is in the custody of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Defense attorney Randy Grove said the mother, who is in her early 20s, has made progress in parenting classes and has increased visitation with her infant. Knapp has a second child whom she has custody of, which Grove said is evidence that Knapp is an appropriate parent.
VanderVelde said Knapp’s improvements contributed to his decision to place the mother on probation instead of prison.
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Information from: Idaho Press-Tribune, https://www.idahopress.com
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