The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

A PREGNANT mother was fined in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday for possession of dangerous drugs.

Jermeckia Adderley, 22, of #20 Palmetto Avenue, appeared before Senior Magistrate Samuel McKinney on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

On April 29, Adderley was arrested at her residence after officers found plastic baggies in her bedroom that had seven brownies and one rice krispy treat containing Indian Hemp.

While the accused pleaded guilty to the charge against her, she tearfully told the court that she recently found out she was pregnant and that she had not seen her children, aged three and one, since her arrest last Friday.

Adderley further said that she was afraid for her children’s safety and that she had complied with officers during her arrest.

Adderley’s mother then explained to the court that her daughter has had a drug problem since the age of 18. She said her daughter uses them to cope with the trauma of an incident of sexual abuse and the murder of her grandmother.

Although Magistrate McKinney told Adderley that child protective services had likely taken care of her children during her time in custody, he also warned her to find alternative coping mechanisms.

He said the accused should seek other legal means of therapy to deal with her issues for her own sake and that of her children.

The magistrate then ordered Adderley to pay a $500 fine for the charge or face three months in custody. He also placed the accused on a year’s probation when, if any other legal matters are committed, she will risk three months in prison.