Heroin Baby Trial: Doc Says Defendant Also had Drug Addicted Baby

SAN ANGELO, TX – The Chief Medical Officer of Shannon Medical Center revealed on Friday morning that Cristin Bradley also had a child born addicted to opiates.

As previously reported, since Monday, July 24, 2023, Bradley has been on trial, accused of felony injury to a child with intent against her 2-month-old granddaughter, Brixlee Lee. The trial continued on Friday with key testimonies from a San Angelo Police Officer who served an arrest warrant on Bradley and her co-defendants, and Shannon's CMO who had treated Bradley in the past.

The officer, San Angelo Police Department's Officer Jacob Beckman, told the jury about how he arrested Bradley, her boyfriend Dustin Smock, and Bradley's daughter, the mother of Brixlee, Destiney Horbour. After the three left the hospital with Brixlee, an arrest warrant was issued for them.

Another San Angelo Police Detective found the three after spotting their car in the Red Roof Inn parking lot. Police obtained a key to the room, knocked for several minutes, and then proceeded inside. When they entered, they took the three into custody. The officer testified that all of them were cooperative, except for not opening the door.

The second key witness testimony came from Dr. Doug Schutlz, the CMO for Shannon Medical Center. In addition to being the CMO, Schultz specialized in pediatrics. Prior to taking the job as CMO, in 2009, Schultz was Bradley's doctor during her pregnancy. Bradley had informed the doctors that she was a heavy user of marijuana and heroin before the pregnancy.

As a result, Shannon prescribed methadone for Bradley during her pregnancy. After the birth, several tests were conducted on both the child and the mother. Schultz read from his report that the mother tested positive for Hepatitis C, admitted to smoking during her pregnancy, but claimed she only took methadone while pregnant.

A Meconium Test was done on the child, and instead of testing positive for Methadone, the child tested positive for Morphine. Schultz confirmed that Morphine is not a byproduct of Methadone. To combat the baby's withdrawal, the child was hospitalized for 5 days and was weaned off addiction with small doses of morphine.

Both attorneys then went on to allude to the Brixlee case. Defense Attorney Thomas Jackson asked him what would happen if a child was given fentanyl. He responded only with a scoff and a straightforward answer that he would never give such a powerful drug to an infant. District Attorney Allison Palmer asked if an infant could get just as addicted to heroin as an adult would. Schultz answered with a stern yes and continued by saying that not only would the addiction be the same, but so would the withdrawal.

The trial will continue throughout the day as both sides are preparing for closing arguments soon. If convicted Bradley could face 99 years in prison.

For more on the case see the articles below:

• Heroin Household: Infant in Critical Condition

• San Angelo Trio Indicted for Injecting Infant with Heroin

• Trial for 1st Defendant for Infant who Died of a Heroin Overdose Underway

• TRIAL: San Angelo Police Investigator Describes Bradley's Syringe Filled Home

• Autopsy Shows Heroin Toddler Died from Drug Addiction, Pneumonia, & Syphilis