A woman who admitted to DeLand police that she was pregnant and had been using drugs is charged with abusing her fetus, according to a police report.
Lauren Koch, 32, of Deltona faces two drug offenses and child abuse causing great bodily harm and disability after she told police that she had been pregnant for two to three months, had been using Dilaudid and methamphetamines, and had not had any medical checks for her pregnancy. Police had previously searched her purse and found several syringes and other drug paraphernalia.
The women's pregnancy apparently is what brought the charges of child abuse, though DeLand police refused to comment on the case. Local health professionals question whether Florida law allows for a woman to be charged with abusing her fetus because of drug use, and they say that this type of charge could lead to other women not wanting to reveal their pregnancies to law enforcement out of fear of arrest.
According to the police report, Koch was in her car in a Dollar General parking lot on Woodland Avenue about 2 p.m. Monday when the store's manager called police because the car had sat there for two hours. DeLand police officers arrived and found Koch in the car with two other people.
The officers asked Koch whether they could search her car, and she agreed. During the search, they discovered five syringes and a spoon with a white, powdery substance, which Koch said contained the painkiller Dilaudid, according to the report.
Koch was arrested and taken to the DeLand Police Department for questioning, according to the report. The other two people were issued trespassing warnings.
After being read her Miranda rights, Koch admitted to police that she was pregnant and had been using Dilaudid, a strong opiate, and methamphetamines. The syringes and spoon tested positive for those drugs, according to the report.
Koch was being held Tuesday in the Volusia County Branch Jail on $8,000 bail.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
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