Tragic toddler’s drug overdose

From the Bolton Evening News, first published Thursday 15th Jun 2006.

A TODDLER died after taking more than twice the lethal dose of his mum's methadone.

Cameron Concannon, aged three, drank a full bottle of the heroin substitute being used by Kelly Sale to fight her drug addition.

He is thought to have drunk 25ml of the solution.

A medical expert told an inquest in Bolton that 10ml of methadone was potentially fatal in an adult.

The six-day hearing had earlier heard that Ms Sale, of Firs Lane, Leigh, had collected her prescription drug from a pharmacist. She found the empty bottle lying on the stairs.

Coroner Jennifer Leeming was told that the youngster had managed to open his mother's handbag, rip open the paper bag containing the bottle and unscrew the child resistant cap.

In a statement to police under caution, Ms Sale said: "He came through the lounge and said mummy I've drunk your medicine'."

The youngster was taken to the Royal Albert and Edward Infirmary in Wigan on New Year's Eve 2002.

He was described as being "hyper" and started to itch and his pupils went smaller through taking the methadone.

He was transferred to a specialist unit at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool after his condition deteriorated, but died on January 3, 2003.

The inquest was told that the methadone poisoning was likely to have caused a heart attack.

Consultant forensic pathologist Dr Brian Rogers said that Cameron would still be alive had he not ingested the methadone.

Following his admission to hospital, a doctor contacted the National Poisons Information Service, and had been told that "any amount" of methadone taken by a child was cause for concern.

Dr Alison Jones, director of the National Poisons Information Service, told the inquest: "10ml would be potentially associated with fatality."

Proceeding

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