Another Case of Kids Over-Medicated on Psych Drugs

A report from Corpus Christi, Texas

The parents of three elementary students who showed up for school seemingly under the influence of drugs were back in court Tuesday to see if a judge would allow them to keep the children temporarily.

The kids, ages 6, 9 and 10, reportedly have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. They have been living with their paternal grandparents since they were taken from their mother and stepfather in September.

Tuesday judge Carl Lewis decided Tuesday the children would remain with the grandparents for at least the next 30 days.

In the courtroom, the kids' mother Jennifer Bartley and stepfather Edward Bartley avoided KRIS-TV cameras, and they would not say on-camera whether they intentionally overmedicated their children. But, police said, on Sept. 14, the children appeared drunk as the couple dropped off two of Jennifer's three children at Luther Jones Elementary

Investigators later found out the 10-year-old daughter tested positive for a drug similar to Xanax, a drug not prescribed to her.

A court document recently obtained by 6 News...read, "the children were admitted into the hospital for over a week". It went on to say, "there was sexual acting out by (the 10-year-old) with (the 6-year-old.)"

The document outlined a family service plan outlining tasks Jennifer and Edward Bartley must complete, including placing the children's medications in a lock box that includes a sign-in sheet listing times and dates medications are given.

The couple was also order to undergo family counseling. The Bartleys, along with the children's father, Joshua Davenport, also must submit to random drug testing.

Davenport did not want to talk on camera, but he told the judge he no longer uses drugs and that he hopes to get custody of his children someday.

The court did allow for the parents to see the children once a week.

Davenport said the 9-year-old suffers from bipolar disorder and ADHD, and he has been admitted into Padre Behavioral Hospital. Court documents said the child has made little progress with his conditions.

The other two children reportedly were also seeing a psychiatrist.

Lewis said he will review the case again in 30 days.

A police investigation has not determined whether the parents unnecessarily drugged the children. If it does, however, whoever is to blame could face a charge of injury to a child or endangering a child.

Hopefully this won't turn into another case where a psychiatrist misdiagnosed a case of child abuse as ADHD. Tragically, there is an awful chance that it will.

Fortunately, no child was killed due to drug side effects. Tragically, the psychiatrist in charge of this fiasco is not likely to be investigated.