Crime

Mother Puts Beer in Baby’s Sippy Cup

PHOENIX (AP) — A Phoenix mother has been arrested after authorities say she put beer in her 2-year-old son’s sippy cup.

Phoenix police were called to a pizza restaurant Tuesday night after witnesses say they saw 36-year-old Valerie Marie Topete pour beer from a pitcher into her son’s cup and then the child drank some of it.

Valerie Marie Topete, 36, Puts Beer in Her Childs Sippy Cup

Valerie Marie Topete

Phoenix police say Topete admitted pouring the beer in the cup because the child kept reaching for the beer pitcher.

Officers examined the contents of the cup and determined the liquid was consistent with beer.

The child was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons and was later released to the care of his father.

Topete is being held on suspicion of child abuse. Police didn’t know if she has a lawyer.

Valerie Marie Topete, 36, Puts Beer in Her Childs Sippy Cup

Comments (61)

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  • rdipego
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 9:24am

    Tell the Moyle to drop the Manishevitz when he performs the briss,
    How bout caffeine to 4 year olds,
    I used to give my son a swig of wine when he was too hyper, and vodka on his gums when he was teething.
    Got hundreds of photos of nephews at family parties licking the beer glass.
    Give me a break people.
    Not only do we have to worry about our “perceived” behavior in public, but we have to worry about the idiots who think they have the duty to report something they imagine to be happening .
    Mind your own business

    Report Post »  
    • little big man
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 10:30am

      Way to go people way to OVERREACT.

      Report Post » little big man  
    • minorityconservative2
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 10:42am

      That is exactly what people say when they want people to shut up about the abuse they perpetrate. I can’t believe you think it is ok. Children’s brains are still growing and alcohol can damage them. Have you ever heard of fetal alcohol syndrome? I have a friend who adopted a fetal alcohol baby and what the child has to go through isn’t pretty. So you want to give alcohol to your kids and make them dumber than you, well I guess you better do it where no one can see you because I will call the police and tell you about yourself too. People should not even drink alcohol in front of their children if they must do it at all. But I guess setting a good example is too intelligent for a lot of people.

      Report Post »  
    • Rolandoobies
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:24pm

      It’s not like the baby drank a keg of beer. That will be in about 14 more years. Im sure a little beer is no worse that the garbage put in our drinking water.

      Report Post »  
    • minorityconservative2
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 4:02pm

      @rolan

      And that is why your name is what it is. How sad!

      Report Post »  
    • judeslice
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 4:06pm

      I am not in support of giving kids alcohol, and I understand that we are not living in the old days. But in the old days they did not have safe drinking water around, and through the fermintation process, water is safe to drink. So in the old days everyone drank alocohol because it made the water safe to drink.

      Report Post »  
    • js1964
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 9:55pm

      I agree, LEAVE US ALONE ! STOP BEING SO RIGHTEOUS !

      Report Post »  
    • Polwatcher
      Posted on July 8, 2012 at 8:42am

      I remember sitting at the table at my immigrant grandfather’s home drinking a small glass of sweet red wine when I was 5 or 6 years old. My grandfather made his own wine (under 200 gal. per year).

      Report Post »  
  • njoelhickson
    Posted on July 7, 2012 at 9:04am

    NOT criminal. Bad judgement maybe. But not criminal.

    Report Post » njoelhickson  
    • iahp_mom
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 9:23am

      @NJOELHICKSON – Actually it is criminal, as it is against the law to give alcohol to children under 21 years of age. That is what makes it a crime. Yes, it was also stupid and irresponsible, but how can you argue it’s not criminal?
      Seriously, people, how can you defend such brainless twits?

      Report Post »  
    • caveman74
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 10:35am

      Actualy in most states parents are allowed to serve their children alcohol. That being said I don‘t know where Arizona stands on that and I don’t know if that is allowed only at home, or if they are allowed to in public. I personally don’t allow alcohol in my house and wont until my children are grown. I am not one of these anti alcohol nut jobs, that is just one of the ways I have chose to child proof my house

      Report Post »  
    • iahp_mom
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 11:18pm

      @Caveman
      I didn’t know that. In Ohio you may not serve alcohol to ANY person under 21 – even your own children. Many parents are arrested for serving alcohol to minors in their homes here. They make a big deal about it “Parents who host lose the most!”

      Report Post »  
    • davuf
      Posted on July 8, 2012 at 10:48am

      Its definately criminal and they are overreacting. Serving alcohol to minors is a crime. Im thinking more ticket and community service than calling it child abuse and taking the kid from the parents.

      Report Post »  
  • BetterDay
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 12:41pm

    I’ve seen a few stories lately of parents giving alcohol to their babies/toddlers and I’m wondering about the many people defending this…I thought the reason this is illegal is because children are easily poisoned by alcoholic drinks because of their small body weight – am I incorrect? If not, why are so many people defending this mom. This, I believe, is a safety issue for the child. Glad you all don’t babysit.

    Report Post »  
  • Vydunas
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 9:24am

    I noticed something amusing about these comments thus far. The folks who stay up all night generally thought it was a great thing that this woman got legal attention. The folks who sleep at night and get up early to work thought it was a bad thing. Or maybe the nocturnal posters were posting from Europe, and weren’t Americans.

    Report Post »  
    • JRook
      Posted on July 6, 2012 at 11:03am

      The real question is why is this even worthy of a report. For those people who want to feel better about themselves based on how screwed up some people are, just go hand out in family court for a day.

      Report Post »  
    • M13
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 12:20pm

      Whenever I want to feel better about myself I just read something stupid posted by jrook

      Report Post »  
  • Healingapostle
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 8:36am

    some of these comments are ridiculous… I mean for crying out loud, I’m not drinker at all and I think two years old is to early to be giving a child beer, but I can remember at 6 or 7 getting a sip of beer so I could see it didn’t really taste that good.

    parents make mistakes, the state should not be intervening here, like many said above, it used to be common practice to rub a little whisky or rum on a teething baby’s gums. What right do we have to execs parental authority over this woman’s child.

    should we start taking the children of every parent who fails to baby proof their house enough and a child walks into a sharp corner of a desk? After all the child could lose an eye?

    Report Post »  
  • Buttercup
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 8:35am

    Oh, for God’s sake! When our kids were little (the oldest is now 43) we used to give them a little sip of beer when we’d have pizza or spaghetti for dinner. They even had little engraved beer steins. Amazingly, they didn’t die or become alcoholics (sarcasm intended). Oh yeah, and I used to have a glass of wine if I wanted one, when I was pregnant. Somehow, we all survived those nasty, “uneducated” times when people just used common sense instead of listening to the experts in today’s nanny state.

    Report Post »  
    • toiletclogga
      Posted on July 6, 2012 at 9:51am

      Were your children 2 years old when you gave them beer? Read the story. Next we‘re going to hear how blowing a little marijuana smoke in an infant’s face is not that big a deal. After all, it’s going to be legal in most states within the next decade. Good Lord, common sense is vacant in the brains of some.

      Report Post »  
    • yanki161
      Posted on July 6, 2012 at 2:02pm

      I agree with Buttercup. Common sense also dictates that a few sips of beer won’t hurt a two year old. It will satisfy their curiosity. There was probably as much alcohol in that as there was in a teething gum medicine. I think it was an over-reaction by other meddlesome, self-righteous patrons. Parents are not free to raise their children as they see fit. They’re not free to do much of anything in the USA. Big Brother is waiting in the wings to grab your kids if they don‘t like your religion or the way you feed them or if you didn’t bubble wrap them to government specifications.

      Report Post » yanki161  
    • freddyjoe
      Posted on July 7, 2012 at 1:32pm

      Thank You, you are so righrt

      Report Post »  
  • dancing bear
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 8:00am

    So now just becouse this woman gave here baby a little beer in public she is a criminal ? What have we turned in to is it that easy to take away someones freedom over values that you dont agree with. If she was that bad of person she could stay home and teach the baby how to smoke crack and drink 40s.

    Report Post »  
  • olddog
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 7:48am

    How totally Crazy is this leftist society? It‘s okay to Kill a child before it’s out of the womb, but you can’t give it a sip of beer. Common sence is not that common anymore..

    Report Post » olddog  
  • Frogginit
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 7:45am

    The only thing she did wrong was to do it in front of some nosy ass liberal who has spent too much time watching Oprah. No need to call police or anybody else. These damn loons watch too much television.
    If she goes to court and gets a liberal judge, she’ll probably get 5 years in prison, but if she gets one with some common sense, the case will be dismissed.

    Report Post » Frogginit  
    • 1proudAmerican
      Posted on July 8, 2012 at 11:26am

      The case might be dismissed, but everyone she knows will look at her differently from now on. Such overreactions can really effect a person’s life, and a sip of beer is not a good reason to get the police involved.

      Report Post »  
  • Frogginit
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 7:36am

    Add your comments

    Report Post » Frogginit  
  • Abraham Young
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 6:44am

    Sure its questionable but come on, we don’t need the police to intervene.

    I”m surprised the conservatives feel the State has to intervene in the family.

    On the other hand, no I’m not.

    Report Post »  
  • historyguy48
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 6:30am

    Comrades the state will correct this mothers thinking and the baby will be protected under the wisdom of the collective!
    First this story is stupid, like my comment above. Second, through the majority of human history, men, women, children all drank alcoholic spirits because the water wasn’t safe to drink. Since the Earth currently holds almost 7 billion of us, I guess they were doing the correct thing.
    But now, things have changed and we are so much smarter now. Yeah, sure we are!

    Report Post » historyguy48  
  • Vydunas
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 6:26am

    You all are the reason this country is what it is today. When I was a small child I was given sips of beer, and I’ve never been one to drink to excess. It doesn’t sound like she gave him too much. She was stupid for exercising her rights of parenthood in public, but whose child is it? I wouldn’t have done it, myself, but she was within her rights, and it wasn’t child abuse.

    Report Post »  
  • piper60
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 4:28am

    This woman is a proud product of the no child left behind style public school system, clearly.

    Report Post » piper60  
  • biohazard23
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 4:06am

    Wow,, not too bright, Mom. On the upside, at least she didn’t go out and smoke a bunch of meth then come home and nurse her baby.

    http://www.imperfectparent.com/topics/2012/03/21/breastfeeding-meth-mom-sentenced-to-prison-for-babys-nursing-death/

    Report Post » biohazard23  
  • ShadowPlacebo
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 3:15am

    This woman needs to not be released from jail

    Report Post » ShadowPlacebo  
  • Smokey_Bojangles
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 2:32am

    I dunno,back in the day parents used to rub Whiskey on kid’s gums for teething.If the kid dies from it,it is just a very late term abortion.Just ask a Democrat.

    Report Post » Smokey_Bojangles  
    • Maxim Crux
      Posted on July 6, 2012 at 2:48am

      Yes, I learned early to drink and got wise to stop before I got old.

      Report Post »  
  • Conservative Hippy
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 2:06am

    Well, at least she didnt inject the kid with heroin like the people in the other story!

    Report Post »  
  • zoro51
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 2:01am

    what a ****.. harsh word yes but in this case it rings truth.. have her kid removed form her. shes UNFIT to raise much less “MOTHER” this child..

    Report Post » zoro51  
  • lukerw
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 1:47am

    Lacking Baby Food Products, FDA, and Fascists… you will that in Ancient Egypt and throughout World History… s Beer like product, used as Yeast in Bread, was given to children for Nutrition!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • Diane TX
      Posted on July 6, 2012 at 1:57am

      I don’t think that she was thinking about ancient history. Not that she was actually “thinking” at all.

      Report Post »  
    • The_Almighty_Creestof
      Posted on July 6, 2012 at 2:34am

      I often heard that my mother gave my sister beer when she was a baby because it helped her appetite.

      Certainly not the case here…but this is asinine. Think back to the first time your dad shared a beer with you.

      My step-dad was tired of me bothering him for some change to buy a soda when I was 11 and we were at a bowling alley in his league night. Finally he slid a small odd glass over to me and said “just have some water”…it turned out to be vodka.

      Not everyone is being a poor parent or inhumane or an evil monster when they try to teach their kid something.

      Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on July 6, 2012 at 10:03am

      Look what it‘s done for Egypt’s culture.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 1:31am

    ahhhh

    a democrat “progressing” nicely

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • Diane TX
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 1:31am

    OK. A two year old reaches for a mug of beer and “mommy” decides that her child has chosen to have a little bit of beer. “Mommy” is not very bright. Two year old’s have parents to make all their choices for them, because they’re ONLY two years old. Since “daddy” now has custody, we can be certain that marriage wasn’t involved.

    Report Post »  
  • Arc
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 1:28am

    And there are some in the United States who continue to wonder “what is wrong with the youth of today?

    All we have to do, “ Reflect on our history and method of handling ” the youth of yesterday”

    I will “ hazard” a guess and propose that this mother was never held accountable for her actions as a child.

    Accountability and Responsibility are “brother & sister”, that support each other.

    Report Post » Arc  
  • Laus Deo
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 1:28am

    I feel angry, having read this story. The baby kept reaching for the pitcher… So ****ing what? What if he had reached for a handgun? Stupid piece of trash, she is.

    Report Post » Laus Deo  
  • marine249
    Posted on July 6, 2012 at 1:25am

    They can have a beer summit, baby, mom and bo.

    Report Post »  
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