Two Arizona TV News reporters have been arrested for child abuse after the couple’s 4-month old baby was found with cocaine in its system.
Somchai P. Lisaius, 42, a former reporter at Tucson News Now, and Krystin Rae Lisaius, 26, a former reporter at KGUN 9 and 2013 Miss Arizona contestant, were indicted on June 9 on three felony charges of possession of a dangerous drug, drug paraphernalia and child abuse.
According to People.com,
Police said they were alerted after the couple brought the baby, who was showing signs of distress and appeared lethargic “like a rag doll,” to the Oro Valley Hospital on May 15. The couple allegedly refused to allow a blood test on the baby, who was then transferred to Diamond Children’s Center at the Banner University Medical Center in Tucson by ambulance, police said.
At Banner, a urine test was conducted after the parents again allegedly refused a blood test, police said. Toxicology results showed the presence of cocaine.
Krystin, 26, later allegedly admitted to Oro Valley authorities that she ingested cocaine after a party at the couple’s home, police said. She allegedly said she breastfed the child 12 hours later.
The child was released from Banner Hospital a few days later and is now in the care of its maternal grandmother while being monitored by the Department of Child Services.
A friend of the couple told police he watched Krystin snort cocaine off the countertop of the home’s master bathroom after the party, admitting that he and Somchai ingested cocaine throughout the evening. In the police report Somchai affirmed the couple’s drug use, adding that he uses every six weeks or more. Cops found drug paraphernalia in the house along with two bags of cocaine.
The criminally derelict parents were both in court on Monday where they pleaded not guilty. The couple’s lawyer, Michael Piccarreta, told Tucson News Now, “It would be a gross, gross injustice [with] even the mention of prison time. I anticipate they will demonstrate that they have learned a very hard, embarrassing lesson and that this will become a footnote in their life, not a chapter.”
Piccarreta added that, “Hypothetically, if the child ingested cocaine through breast milk, then you gotta realize that there’s different understanding as to when a recreational drug will be out of your system. And if there’s a misjudgment as to how fast it’s out of your system, then it’s an error that has been learned. It won’t be repeated.”
Exit pic from the Arizona Department of Child Services of the couple’s last outing with their kid…
Click below for footage of the couple’s court appearance and an interview with their lawyer…
