Horror as baby boy ‘dies in squalid home after being exposed to monkey dust by parents’
A BABY boy tragically died in a squalid home after being exposed to monkey dust by his parents, an inquest heard.
Ronnie Higginson had difficulty breathing before his death but Michael Higginson and Kayleigh Clarke failed to get medical attention.
The seven-week-old tragically passed away after going into cardiac arrest at home in Stoke-on-Trent in November 2019.
An inquest heard how Ronnie had traces of psychoactive drug monkey dust in his system.
No cause of death has been established with Higginson and Clarke both previously sentenced for child neglect.
Detective Inspector Gina Pope, from Staffordshire Police, said: “The drugs were of the same type as found on Michael Higginson at the time of his arrest in January 2020.
“After an examination it was concluded (Ronnie) would have been exposed to alpha-PHP and MDPEP – commonly known as monkey dust.
“Exposure to monkey dust would have increased the risk of cot death. It was clear he had some sort of respiratory tract infection – histology of his lungs showed evidence of acute inflammation.
“Both (Clarke and Higginson) admitted that they were regular drug users, but at no point had they given any of their children drugs. But they were present, not necessarily in the same room.”
Baby Ronnie was born premature in 2019 after Clarke hid her pregnancy from the family’s allocated social worker.
The court was told an official from Stoke-on-Trent City Council visited the family home and was “taken aback” by the conditions.
Social worker Helen Hawkins said: “There were no carpets on the floor and no bedding. There was a potty that looked like it had vomit in.
“At that time Kayleigh disclosed she was 30 weeks pregnant and went for a private scan. She had concealed a number of pregnancies.
“I have been a child protection worker for 16 years and the condition the children were living in was one of the worst I have ever seen.”
Ms Hawkins reported the visit to senior members of the social care team, who should have sought legal advice.
But the inquest heard they instead decided the family should be given the opportunity to engage and a child protection conference would take place.
Ms Hawkins delivered the report to the parents around the time Clarke gave birth to Ronnie and left the authority days later.
Ronnie fell ill in November 2019 with breathing difficulties and had also gone off his food.
What is monkey dust?
Officially known as a cathinone, monkey dust also goes by the name of MDPV or Methylone.
It comes in a yellowish-white powder, which can be snorted, eaten or injected.
The drug was first synthesised by a team at German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim in the 1960s.
“Dust” was originally sold over the internet as a “legal” alternative to cocaine, speed and ecstasy.
The drug was readily available at US petrol stations, bookshops and convenience stores before it was outlawed in 2012 by Barack Obama.
Monkey dust is made of chemicals that are similar to naturally occurring cathinone.
Cathinone was discovered in the 1970s in the leaves of the khat bush, which grows in East Africa.
In contrast, monkey dust is developed in a lab and is usually cut with a variety of nasty substances on the street.
Monkey dust is a Class B drug, making it illegal to sell, buy, or possess without a license.
However, growing fears around its use has led ministers to consider reclassifying it as Class A.
This would increase jail terms for dealers.
The drug can be picked up for as little as £2 per hit, which makes those with existing dependency issues particularly vulnerable.
Monkey dust is a hallucinogenic drug that is incredibly addictive.
Police officers have described users on it as having Incredible Hulk-like strength.
Its potent effects last for three days – with some users left unable to feel pain for up to a week.
Addicts commonly believe they are being chased, and often try to climb building and lampposts to escape beasts from their vivid hallucinations.
His parents were advised by a number of people to get him medical help but Clarke and Higginson chose to turn a blind eye to his suffering.
On November 26, 2019, emergency crews were scrambled to the home after Ronnie went into cardiac arrest.
He was rushed to hospital but was declared dead just 30 minutes later.
Clarke was later jailed for 27 months while Higginson received a suspended sentence.
The inquest continues.