Adderall Implicated in Child Abuse and a Murder Trial

Boca Raton, FLIn the past week, Adderall has been implicated in Seth Fontenot’s murder trial and involved in a case of child abuse by a Florida mother.

Seth Fontenot allegedly shot three high school students - one student died from gunshot wounds - in February after they tried to break into Fontenot’s vehicle. Prosecutors in the first-degree murder trial set for November 12 filed a notice of intent to introduce evidence of Fontenot’s alleged previous crimes that include dealing Adderall. They claim that students knew Fontenot would have cash and/or Adderall in his vehicle and that is why they attempted to break in.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette police would back this claim. During their investigation, Fontenot’s friends and fellow classmates implied that he was a “drug dealer,” having bought Adderall from Fontenot in the past.

For some time, Adderall has been the amphetamine of choice on campus, especially when students are cramming for exams. It is readily available from dealers who typically buy the ADHD drug from other students on their parents’ health-insurance plan or from members of the military (amphetamines have been prescribed to the military since World War II to fight off fatigue, help focus and maintain morale). Prescription Adderall costs under $1 per pill and street Adderall can sell up to five times the original price.

But Adderall can become addictive. Constant use can result in Adderall side effects, from Adderall heart attack to Adderall death. Even one dose, if given to a child, can potentially be dangerous. It is shocking that a mother would give her six-year-old Adderall as “an experiment,” but it is acceptable that children are prescribed the amphetamine.

Heather McAuliffe, age 39, was arrested and detained at Palm County Jail on November 2 on suspicion of child abuse. She allegedly spiked her 6-year-old son’s yogurt with crushed Adderall as an experiment and then told her son’s first-grade teacher what she had done via e-mail, and asking the teacher for updates on any changes in his behavior.
Under Florida state law, teachers are required to report any instance of possible child abuse.

Getting back to Adderall prescribed to children: According to comments on mailonline, the majority of the public (apparently including Judge Judy) is outraged that a mother could do such a thing. But “Lila” of El Paso weighs in:

“My daughter is 10 years old. She was diagnosed with ADHD when she was in second grade. the teachers thought she had a learning disability and she had to undergo physical and psychological testing at a children’s hospital to find that in fact the suspected learning disability was ADHD. she has been taking 30 mg of adderall for the last 2 years. immediately i could see i difference in her, it only took weeks and she had all A’s in school. taking the medicine has really changed her life around. she used to not be able to control her emotions and small things lead to meltdowns and temper tandrums. weird behaviour, like cracking up laughing after burping has stopped (thank god). she is just a normal 10-year-old girl, maybe a little skinnier and shorter than the average.

It is a sad commentary that a mother doesn’t allow her child to “crack up laughing.”

Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant combining amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Along with a long list of side effects it can also cause slow growth in children.