7-Month-Old California Infant Hospitalized After Drug Overdose, Baby's Mother, Grandmother Arrested

Three people including the mother of an infant were charged after the seven-month-old baby was hospitalized following a possible drug overdose. The incident took place in Auburn, California, on Saturday.

Police responded to Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital on Saturday night after receiving a report stating that a baby was hospitalized after being exposed to drugs. The responding officers were told that the grandmother of the child, identified as Christine Hillebrandt, brought the infant to the hospital after seeing "abnormal behavior."

Search warrants were issued for two homes, one on Sacramento Street and the other on Orrin Drive. During the search, the officials found narcotics and drug paraphernalia on the Sacramento Street home. Following the search, the infant’s grandmother, mother and mother’s associate were taken into custody. While all the three were charged with child endangerment, the infant’s mother, identified as Cori Ovalle, was additionally charged with possession of narcotics. The mother and grandmother were bailed out. James Cresta, the associate of Ovalle, remained in jail.

Speaking about the incident, Auburn Police Detective McCollough said, “This incident could have evolved into an unfathomable tragedy had it not been for the diligence of the attending nurses and physicians.”

"Though our nation is currently faced with unprecedented times, our medical professionals and first responders continue to strive in serving the community of Auburn to the best of our ability. We will continue to protect life and property as we navigate through these times,” he said in a news release.

Investigation was ongoing and the Placer County Child Protection Services were helping the Auburn police with the investigation. Meanwhile, the police department said the infant was recovering.