NEWCASTLE, Pa., July 19 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania woman is suing a county for taking away her newborn son after a test showed opiates in her system, which she blames on poppy seed salad dressing.
Eileen Bower sued the Lawrence County Department of Children and Youth Services for the incident that occurred on July 13, 2009, at Jameson Hospital in Newcastle when her son was born, ABC News reported Tuesday.
"There were only trace amounts of opiates -- they couldn't even put a range on the amount," said Stanley T. Booker, Bower's lawyer.
The hospital sent the blood to an independent laboratory, which confirmed the initial result, ABC News reported.
"But even before the confirmatory test results, they contacted CYS and there was an order to take custody," Booker said.
He said one reason for the suit is to compel the hospital to change its drug testing policy, as Bower wants to spare other families a similar ordeal.
Bower has regained custody of her baby, but Booker said he was traumatized by the early separation from his mother.
"He is very clingy to her. He screams and cries when she leaves the room. She doesn't want other families to go through the nightmare she went through," Booker said.
