GUILTY NC - Phillip Lee, 5, dies of methadone OD, Rockwell, 1 Sept 2008

[dancingdaisy]

It was Methadone!

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/17873731/detail.html

Rockwell Mother Charged With Murder After Son's Overdose Death

Monday, November 3, 2008 – updated: 7:07 pm EST November 3, 2008
CONCORD, N.C. -- A Cabarrus County mother is now charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of her 5-year-old son after making her first appearance in court.
Robin Lee was extradited from Kansas over the weekend on warrants for one felony count of child abuse inflicting bodily injury, one felony count of child abuse inflicting serious injury and two counts of selling or delivering a controlled substance to a minor under the age of 13.
Lee’s teenage son found her lying unconscious in her home on Lower Stone Church Road in Rockwell on Labor Day. Her 5-year-old son, Phillip Lee, was found dead next to her.
Arrest warrants released Monday state Robin Lee had given her children the drug methadone that day, and then took it herself. The documents state the dose was strong enough to kill the 5-year-old and seriously injure Lee’s 13-year-old son.
Lee and her teenage son were hospitalized. Detectives said although the mother also overdosed on the drug, they're not ready to say she intentionally planned to kill both her sons and herself.
Still, Sheriff Brad Riley said this is a very tough case for everyone involved.
"It's very, very difficult. It's sad. That's why justice always has to prevail in these cases. Someone has to make sure there's closure to those cases since the 5-year-old is not here to defend that," Riley said.
Police said Lee want to Kansas City once she was released from the hospital. She was arrested there last week.
Riley said the investigation is ongoing and more charges against Lee are still a possibility.
Lee is being held in the Cabarrus County Jail. She could be sentenced to more than 200 months in prison if convicted on the second-degree murder charge.

 

[CaliKid]

A botched murder-suicide or did she try to make it look that way? It shocks me that people still try to get away with drugs. Have they never heard of tox screens?

 

[SeriouslySearching]

What kind of person would do that?! Another parent killing her children! I was sure hoping it wasn't something like this. Makes me ill to think anyone would give children any drug, but especially something like Methadone!! Where were the other people in their lives? Why didn't someone protect those children?! She didn't just decide to do Methadone one time here. She must have been into drugs before.

 

[vibec]

I just read the update and am in shock. As horrible as this world can be, I still cant beleive it. The article I read leaves me to think she was depressed, and that it was a murder suicide. How sad.

 

[OneLostGrl]

What kind of person would do that?! Another parent killing her children! I was sure hoping it wasn't something like this. Makes me ill to think anyone would give children any drug, but especially something like Methadone!! Where were the other people in their lives? Why didn't someone protect those children?! She didn't just decide to do Methadone one time here. She must have been into drugs before.

Methadone is given these days as a pain medication... a lot of people who used to take Oxycontin have been switched to Methadone. I don't know if that was the case with her or not but it's the case with many. My mother has been on it for a few years and though we'd obviously rather she not be on anything, she has legit pain and Methadone is the lesser of the two evils.

 

[OneLostGrl]

I just read the update and am in shock. As horrible as this world can be, I still cant beleive it. The article I read leaves me to think she was depressed, and that it was a murder suicide. How sad.

It makes me angry! How dare she-

 

[CyberLaw]

A few years back, a Dad stored his Methadone in a container of juice. Apparently you mix it with juice.

Well no one told his young son that the juice was mixed with Methadone. The boy died.

But, the rules changed. Now if you want to take Methadone, you actually have to go to a official" location, and you take it in front of them.

But what this mother did, was typical. She wanted to die, so of course she has to take the kids with her.

 

[Opie]

Methadone is given these days as a pain medication... a lot of people who used to take Oxycontin have been switched to Methadone. I don't know if that was the case with her or not but it's the case with many. My mother has been on it for a few years and though we'd obviously rather she not be on anything, she has legit pain and Methadone is the lesser of the two evils.

It's also a lot cheaper, I understand. I used to type for a pain specialist and learned that many people could not afford OxyContin. The doctor then switched them to methadone.

I'm sorry your mother has been in such pain that she would need heavy-duty medication for it.

 

[St3phanie]

It really is odd! I can't help but wonder if she drugged herself and the little boy.. that's the only thing that has come out about this is that the police searched the home, finding 100+ medication bottles. Why else would they release that info, ya know?

ETA- she must have took off to Kansas as soon as she got out of the hospital. I wonder if she had the older boy with her. She really looks nothing like her MySpace pictures!

I agree... the myspace pictures look a lot younger than the picture in the article (or mugshot). So sad!

 

[OneLostGrl]

A few years back, a Dad stored his Methadone in a container of juice. Apparently you mix it with juice.

Well no one told his young son that the juice was mixed with Methadone. The boy died.

But, the rules changed. Now if you want to take Methadone, you actually have to go to a official" location, and you take it in front of them.

But what this mother did, was typical. She wanted to die, so of course she has to take the kids with her.

Maybe for getting off heroin but for pain you get a written prescription you bring to a regular ol' pharmacy and you get pills. They used to be big, 4dose pills that one is supposed to break apart and use as seperate doses (called methadose) but people were od'ing on it so they don't have them anymore.

 

[OneLostGrl]

It's also a lot cheaper, I understand. I used to type for a pain specialist and learned that many people could not afford OxyContin. The doctor then switched them to methadone.

I'm sorry your mother has been in such pain that she would need heavy-duty medication for it.

I don't know about price, she gets social security and gets MediCare so..

Thanks but it's really just for back pain- she had a bunch of disks fused and rods put in etc. like 12 years ago and she claims the surgery caused her more pain.

 

[tippytoes]

OLG, I saw your long ago post that the mother didn't look like her Myspace page and my 'first reaction was, "Ah, no one looks like their Myspace page."..and then I saw the newspaper photo.

You get "understatement post of the year."

 

[badhorsie]

Sorry I am having a CRAFT moment...please could anyone explain to me how the eldest son walked in to find mother and brother unconcious and yet became poisoned himself, or have I got it all wrong

What an absolute tragedy

 

[PhoneBoothBandit]

The older boy was probably in deep shock and was probably starting to panic when he spoke about himself - thinking he was about to die like his brother.

 

[OneLostGrl]

OLG, I saw your long ago post that the mother didn't look like her Myspace page and my 'first reaction was, "Ah, no one looks like their Myspace page."..and then I saw the newspaper photo.

You get "understatement post of the year."

I mean, what's that like her highschool yearbook pictures? LOL

 

[OneLostGrl]

Sorry I am having a CRAFT moment...please could anyone explain to me how the eldest son walked in to find mother and brother unconcious and yet became poisoned himself, or have I got it all wrong

What an absolute tragedy

I think she drugged everybody including the older boy but the only one who actually died from an overdose is the little guy. Sounds like the older son just felt real lousy and slept which is about what to expect with this kind of drug.

 

[vibec]

A few more details in this story. After she tried to murder him, the older son tried to save his mom:

Martinez said he gave his mother mouth-to-mouth to revive her. They both ended up in the hospital.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-111108-mw-phillip_lee.1a1b25382.html

 

[MistyM]

I mean, what's that like her highschool yearbook pictures? LOL

definitely not taken in this century. she's 45 now and those pix are probably of her in her 20s.

it's so sad to see everyone feel bad for her then find out what a monster she is. i even felt sorry for her (well the 20 something year old i saw on myspace). then she ends up being a babykiller. how do people live with themselves when they are guilty and no one knows it yet. and they accept other peoples sympathy. i mean she probably didn't read here but i bet she got alot of flowers and cards in the hospital. she probably acted all innocent till the police broke her down.

 

[OneLostGrl]

definitely not taken in this century. she's 45 now and those pix are probably of her in her 20s.

it's so sad to see everyone feel bad for her then find out what a monster she is. i even felt sorry for her (well the 20 something year old i saw on myspace). then she ends up being a babykiller. how do people live with themselves when they are guilty and no one knows it yet. and they accept other peoples sympathy. i mean she probably didn't read here but i bet she got alot of flowers and cards in the hospital. she probably acted all innocent till the police broke her down.

I think they probably knew pretty quickly what was going on- they searched the house and mentioned the # of prescription bottles pretty early on. I dunno, but she makes me sick- there is no excuse, I'm sorry but there is NONE!

 

[MistyM]

honestly. if you are gonna commit suicide, WHY try to take your kids down with you? we don't live in a culture where people do that for honor or something. i've read cases where people will do that, but nonetheless. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!

cruel cruel cruel! somethings not right in the head there.