Three people were charged following the death of a 5-year-old girl who unknowingly drank contaminated water from her mother’s “bong.” The Rifle, Colorado mother, Stephanie Alvarado, 26, was later released on bond despite being responsible for the death of her daughter. (1)
Mother Freed On Bail
Alvarado was charged along with her cousins, Daniel Alvarado, 27, and Bertha Karina Ceballos-Romo, 26. The mother was freed from the Garfield County Jail after paying a $20,000 bond, while her cousins each paid $5,000. (1)
Child Abuse Resulting In Death
The trio face charges of child abuse resulting in death, as well as possession of a controlled substance (meth) and reckless endangerment. The child overdosed as a result of drinking water from her mother’s bong which was contaminated with meth. (1)
Ceballos-Romo was also charged with tampering with evidence. Police say the charge is related to her attempts to cover up the evidence that the child had overdosed. (1)
Child Saw Monsters And Demons
The investigation spanned seven weeks. The three adults present during the incident admitted to smoking meth at the apartment where the child died. Sophia drank the water from the bong and later told her mother “she was seeing monsters and demons” according to court records. The records also show that this went on for more than three hours without anyone seeking medical assistance for the child. (1)
Child Hallucinated For Three Hours
As well, in an affidavit, the child’s mother told her cousin at the time that “Sophia has drank some water and had a ‘yucky reaction.'” While Sophia hallucinated, the cousins believed the child was possessed because they were high on meth. They prayed for her and read from the bible instead of seeking the medical help she required. (1)
Father Devastated
“If they would have taken her when they saw my daughter drank that, she may have been a little slow and not right in the head — but my daughter would still be here with me today,” says the father Alec Larson, 26. The couple broke up due to Alvarado’s substance abuse issues about a year ago. (1)
No One Called 911
When Sophia finally collapsed, the three adults present chose not to call 911 and instead took her to a family member’s home where they hoped to revive her using an oxygen machine. Sadly, by the time they decided to take her to the hospital, the child was dead. (1)
Mother Feared Criminal Charges
In hand with the cousin’s belief that Sophia was possessed, her mother failed to call for help in fear she would face charges. The three will now face a far more severe punishment with the possibility of spending several years in prison. Court appearances are scheduled for February 12, 2020, for the cousins and February 26, 2020, for the mother. (1)
“I know I miss her every second, every day,” says Sophia’s father. He admits he won’t ever forgive Sophia’s mother and her cousins for her death. “It’s changed me in a way that scares me,” he says. (1)
According to the National Vital Statistics System, Mortality, the deaths involving psychostimulants including methamphetamine (METH), increased almost 5-fold in 2018. (2)
