Police said the 14-month-old boy had a blood alcohol level of 0.305% and needed intensive care.
BATON ROUGE, La. — A Louisiana mother has been jailed after police said her 14-month-old son was hospitalized with severe alcohol intoxication and a blood alcohol level far above the adult legal driving limit.
Genesis Harrell, 27, was arrested July 2 and accused of cruelty to juveniles after an investigation into a May 18 medical emergency involving her toddler son. Police said the child was taken to a hospital in critical condition after becoming limp and not acting normally at a Baton Rouge residence.
According to arrest documents described by police, Harrell called 911 after noticing the boy was not behaving as he usually did. She told investigators the child normally was active but had gone limp when she tried to pick him up. She said he later took a nap, but his condition did not improve. Medical staff later found the child had a blood alcohol content of 0.305%, nearly four times the 0.08% adult legal driving limit.
Doctors diagnosed the toddler with alcohol intoxication, acute respiratory failure, hypoxia and hypercapnia. Authorities said the child required care in a pediatric intensive care unit, including intubation and mechanical ventilation. Medical experts told investigators the child likely would have died without treatment. Police said the child remained hospitalized after the emergency, though later reports did not give a final public update on his recovery.
Harrell told investigators that alcohol in the home had been stored securely and said she did not know how the child drank it, according to the arrest documents. Police said her boyfriend was present at the residence but was not considered responsible for the child’s care. Investigators said Harrell later declined to give more details about how the toddler may have ingested alcohol.
The arrest warrant said Harrell’s conduct showed “such disregard” for the child’s safety and described her alleged actions as a gross deviation from the care expected of a parent. Authorities did not publicly identify the child, and police reports did not say what type of alcohol was involved or how much the toddler may have consumed.
Harrell was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison after her arrest. The case remains in the early court stage, and the allegations have not been proven in court. Records cited in the investigation show prosecutors will now review the police findings as the criminal case moves forward.
The next steps are expected to include court filings, possible bond proceedings and further review of medical and police records. As of Sunday, officials had not announced any additional arrests in the case or released new information about the child’s current condition.
Author note: Last updated July 5, 2026.