Flight Attendant Allegedly Spikes Kid's Juice To Stop Crying
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 12:30 pm
Flight Attendant Allegedly Spikes Kid's Juice To Stop Crying
POSTED: 6:29 a.m. EST March 14, 2003
UPDATED: 12:13 p.m. EST March 14, 2003
DETROIT -- A flight attendant from Ann Arbor, Mich., is accused of drugging a baby because it was crying during a flight.
According to a federal indictment, Daniel Cunningham, 39, a Northwest flight attendent, allegedly gave an infant juice that contained the prescription drug Xanax.
The FBI said the incident happened on Flight 47 from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Cunningham was allegedly annoyed by a 19-month-old baby who was crying and told the West Bloomfield family, "This is starting to be a problem."
The attendant offered the family juice for the baby. The baby drank a few sips, and then the mother took a sip. The indictment claims that the mother noticed the juice tasted bitter, was foaming and had blue and white specs in it.
According to court papers, the mother put the juice in a sippy cup. She called her doctor who told her to take it to a laboratory for testing. Tests confirmed a 99 percent match for Xanax. The drug is prescribed to stop anxiety and panic attacks. Its side effects are drowsiness, fatigue and lightheadnesses.
Children's Hospital said the drug should not be given to any child under 18.
Federal agents said Cunningham's alleged actions were reckless and dangerous.
The FBI reportedly stopped Cunningham on his next flight. They checked his suitcase and found numerous pills including Xanax, Ambien and Valium. When questioned, Cunningham said he got the pills from a doctor in India, but could not provide a prescription.
The FBI has served him with a criminal complaint and he is expected to turn himself in Tuesday.
Northwest Airlines confirmed that Cunningham worked as a flight attendant from May 22, 1988 to Dec. 30, 2002.
"While we cannot comment on this particular case, our standard procedure for flight attendants at Northwest is that they do not include prescribing medication unless it's with the assistance of a physician with our flight emergency service."
The infant's family would not comment.
POSTED: 6:29 a.m. EST March 14, 2003
UPDATED: 12:13 p.m. EST March 14, 2003
DETROIT -- A flight attendant from Ann Arbor, Mich., is accused of drugging a baby because it was crying during a flight.
According to a federal indictment, Daniel Cunningham, 39, a Northwest flight attendent, allegedly gave an infant juice that contained the prescription drug Xanax.
The FBI said the incident happened on Flight 47 from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Cunningham was allegedly annoyed by a 19-month-old baby who was crying and told the West Bloomfield family, "This is starting to be a problem."
The attendant offered the family juice for the baby. The baby drank a few sips, and then the mother took a sip. The indictment claims that the mother noticed the juice tasted bitter, was foaming and had blue and white specs in it.
According to court papers, the mother put the juice in a sippy cup. She called her doctor who told her to take it to a laboratory for testing. Tests confirmed a 99 percent match for Xanax. The drug is prescribed to stop anxiety and panic attacks. Its side effects are drowsiness, fatigue and lightheadnesses.
Children's Hospital said the drug should not be given to any child under 18.
Federal agents said Cunningham's alleged actions were reckless and dangerous.
The FBI reportedly stopped Cunningham on his next flight. They checked his suitcase and found numerous pills including Xanax, Ambien and Valium. When questioned, Cunningham said he got the pills from a doctor in India, but could not provide a prescription.
The FBI has served him with a criminal complaint and he is expected to turn himself in Tuesday.
Northwest Airlines confirmed that Cunningham worked as a flight attendant from May 22, 1988 to Dec. 30, 2002.
"While we cannot comment on this particular case, our standard procedure for flight attendants at Northwest is that they do not include prescribing medication unless it's with the assistance of a physician with our flight emergency service."
The infant's family would not comment.
