Chrystal A. Hassell has been arrested after she called the police to alert them that the baby boy was turning blue on Friday night. The baby born prematurely, is in critical condition and the mother is on suicide watch at the Marion County jail in Florida.
The baby and his 11-month-old brother have been taken into custody by the Department of Children and Families, and the 11-month-old has been put into foster care. Hassell, 37, also has a 16-year-old daughter who was born addicted to drugs as a result of Hassell’s drug use during her pregnancy.
She told police that she has been using the illegal substances since she was a teenager.
Once she found out that she was pregnant in March- at which point doctors told her she was six or seven months along- she vowed not to smoke crack because of the baby.
That didn’t last, however, and the day before the baby was born, she checked into the Vacation Host Inn and went on a binge.
The baby was born in the bathtub and Hassell used her teeth to cut the umbilical cord.
The baby’s father is Hassell’s boyfriend Vincent Terry who is currently in jail as well after a warrant for attempted murder and domestic violence was issued for him stemming from an unspecified incident in El Pasco County, Colorado.
Child neglect charges have been filed against Hassell though it is unclear what, if anything, she will face regarding the possible drug possession and use.
Terry said that he thought that probation for his earlier drug possession charge had expired and did not realize that he was breaking the law by leaving Colorado.
He claims that he did not know about the attempted murder and domestic violence charges and has already signed extradition papers so that he will face the charges in Colorado.
