A man from Georgia has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to poison his newborn child by adding antifreeze to the baby’s breastmilk. Curtis L. Jack, 48, was convicted on charges of attempted murder and child cruelty in Fulton County last Thursday.
The case came to light when the South Fulton Police Department was called to the Children’s Health Care of Atlanta on October 20, 2020, following a report of child cruelty. Medical staff at the hospital had discovered that an 18-day-old infant had tested positive for antifreeze in her system.
The baby’s mother, who was in the hospital after giving birth, had given Jack ten bags of her breastmilk to transport to her mother’s home. She expressed disbelief that either Jack or her mother could have been responsible for the poisoning, and was at a loss to explain how the antifreeze had ended up in the baby’s system.
When questioned by detectives, Jack initially denied any involvement in the incident. However, upon further questioning, he confessed to adding the antifreeze to the breastmilk. According to the arrest warrant, Jack admitted that he did not want the child and had previously urged the mother to terminate the pregnancy. He expressed remorse for his actions.
The baby’s mother had chosen to ignore Jack’s request for an abortion and had decided to have the baby. Ingesting even a small quantity of antifreeze can cause permanent damage to the brain and kidneys, as per Poison Control. Fortunately, the child survived the incident and is now reported to be in good health.
Following his 40-year sentence, Jack will be placed on probation for a further ten years. His lawyers have since filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that the state failed to provide sufficient evidence to conclusively prove Jack’s guilt. The judge’s decision on this matter is still pending.