Hospital Claims Katrina Evacuee's Newborn Tested Positive For Drugs

Family Nearly Loses Newborn Over Faulty Urine Test

C2Houston | November 1, 2005

HOUSTON -- A newborn was reunited with her family Monday night after the state took custody of the baby and her older brother after her urine tested positive for marijuana, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Zelma Jackson gave birth to her second child on Oct. 19 at Northeast Hospital in Houston after she and her family fled Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina.

However, Child Protective Services took custody of the newborn girl and her 3-year-old brother after the hospital reported a positive test for marijuana based on an unconfirmed urine test. Hospital officials have not said how they legally retrieved a urine sample from the baby.

"I told them, 'I don't do drugs, so I'm wondering how did you all find marijuana in my child's system when I don't smoke marijuana,'" Jackson told KPRC Local 2.

CPS said they also took custody of the children because case investigators believed the Jacksons were a flight risk.

The entire family underwent a new round of drug tests, in which all of the results came back negative.

Hospital officials have not said where they obtained the original urine sample that tested positive.

CPS has since dropped the case.

Zelma Jackson worked in patient services for Tulane Hospital and her was husband, Marcel, a former military member, worked as a construction worker in New Orleans.

Last modified November 4, 2005