VIDEO: Wash. mom accused of letting baby inhale marijuana smoke from bong

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Caught on Tape ,; Daily Blotter

(CBS/AP) CENTRALIA, Wash. - Rachelle Braaten, a 24-year-old mother in Centralia, Wash., is accused of letting her 22-month-old boy inhale marijuana smoke from a bong, CBS affiliate KIRO reports.

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Officers served a warrant on Braaten's home on Friday after they received a cell phone video from an anonymous source allegedly showing the child coughing after inhaling smoke from the bong.

When police arrived at Braaten's residence, they reportedly found 40 marijuana plants inside the residence as well as firearms, according to a police statement.

Braaten and Tyler Lee, the 25-year-old father of the boy, were arrested.

Lee is charged wit three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and manufacturing marijuana. Braaten is charged with unlawfully delivering a controlled substance to a minor and manufacturing marijuana.

The boy and his 5-year-old brother are now in the custody of Child Protective Services.

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by sleutherz March 12, 2013 2:44 PM EDT

i am a little more disturbed by the agenda ridden way news like this always comes out. (A Little!) i mean, how long ago had this happened? i haven't read anything that would shed some light on the timeline. is this coming out just now because Washington decided to legalize? craziness like this always comes out when the mainstream news feels there is an increase in pot support (while knowing that the constant support is a good smoke screen); so as to fit their agenda. i mean; the last time, it was a guy that the kid didn't even know forcing him to smoke by threatening him with a weapon (in Pennsylvania, i think. it was quite a while ago.) And it just so happened to come out a little after that gallop poll showed majority support throughout the country for cannabis legalization. and the sheeple always only get it half right. being appropriately upset by such despicable deeds. then adding 'those dastardly potheads are at it again!' i hate potheads just as much as any prohibitionist (my sister is one. but she was a terrible person regardless. icing if you will) and i smoke pot. and most prohibitionists are so short sited, that this baffles them. tokers or stoners; however, are a different story. i consider them to be different lables. to me; if a normal pot user must be labled, id probably lable them as tokers. stoners id probably save for those who are slightly more hippy'ish.

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by sleutherz March 12, 2013 3:04 PM EDT: maybe i misspoke. it does say this happened Friday. but I'm just saying; for as much as things like this come out, it seems like there is always a short on such terrible stories when there isn't big news in cannabis support. and that means seemingly good people profiting off the misfortune of children.


by you_MAY_be_right March 12, 2013 2:03 PM EDT: You just can't fix stupid.; Reply to this comment


by legalizemj March 12, 2013 1:59 PM EDT: The only question I have is how could she have even accessed marijuana when for the last seventy years we've kept it 100% illegal? Are they suggesting that the federal marijuana prohibition doesn't work?

Because if the prohibition doesn't work then why are taxpayers forced to pay $40 Billion/year to fund it? And why are we forced to accept the 10,000 brutal murders and 700,000 needless arrests that the prohibition causes each year when the prohibition doesn't even stop CHILDREN or idiot mothers from getting marijuana? We should NOT have policies that cause more harm than good!; Reply to this comment

by txsunshyne March 12, 2013 1:32 PM EDT

I'm so glad someone there had a conscience and turned this wackadoodle mother in.

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by becancerfree March 13, 2013 10:26 PM EDT: I agree.How terrible a mother is for having done this. Wonder how many times she has done it in the past that no one knows about!!She should not get her children back.I hope they get into a good loving home who doesn't smoke pot or any other drugs for that matter.Poor baby.