Port Richey Parents Face Felony Child Neglect Charges After Infant Hospitalized With Critical BAC

A Port Richey couple faces felony child neglect charges after their 6-month-old daughter was hospitalized with a dangerously high blood-alcohol level earlier this month. Jessie Lee Waldroup, 36, and Denise Leann Uzunboylu, 27, were arrested on September 17, following an investigation into the infant's critical condition.

The incident came to light on September 8 when the couple's 7-year-old son found his 6-month-old sister unresponsive in her playpen after returning home from school. The boy alerted his parents, who were sleeping in the living room. First responders arrived to find the baby breathing but still unresponsive, prompting her immediate airlift to a children's trauma center.

At the trauma center, medical personnel discovered the infant had a blood-alcohol level of 0.383. Experts state that any BAC level above 0.30 can lead to alcohol poisoning and be fatal. Doctors told police the child was "critical but stable" and likely would have died if medical attention had been delayed much longer.

Initially, Waldroup and Uzunboylu denied using drugs or alcohol and claimed no knowledge of how their daughter ingested alcohol. However, Uzunboylu later admitted that the family had gone to the beach with other family members on September 7, the day before the infant was found unresponsive.

The couple remains charged with a felony count of child neglect with great bodily harm. This case highlights the severe risks associated with alcohol exposure in infants and the legal consequences for those responsible. Further details regarding their court proceedings will be made public as they become available.