Police correct substance ingested by infant; identify it as methamphetamine

Ashley Dawn Peterson in a 2012 mug shot

Ponca City Police Department has now identified a substance eaten by a 1-year-old infant as methamphetamine, according to spokeswoman Sherry Bowers.

The infant is now in the custody of the Department of Human Services. Her mother, 25-year-old Ashley Dawn Peterson, of Blackwell, is being held in the Ponca City Jail on complaints of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and child endangerment.

Ponca City Police and Ponca City EMS responded to the 1400 block of East Bradley Ave. at 11:06 p.m. Sunday.

Peterson has had previous arrests

In February 2012, she was arrested on charges of felony conspiracy to manufacture a controlled dangerous substance; possession with intent to manufacture a controlled dangerous substance (methamphetamine) after a former felony conviction, and a misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

She entered a plea of no contest to the charges on June 1, 2015, and was sentenced on July 13, 2015. At that time the misdemeanor charge was dismissed and she was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections on the felony charges; however, after serving 9 months, with credit for time served, the balance of the sentence was suspended provided Peterson meet conditions.

In December 2015, the court entered a motion to revoke Peterson’s suspended sentence. In April 2016, Peterson again entered a plea of no contest, was found guilty and again was given a suspended sentence. She was ordered to pay a $500 fine, $240 in restitution and other costs.

In December 2016 she was sentenced to a residential treatment program and in April 2017 was ordered to resume paying her fines July 5, 2017.