A new mother has been charged with smoking the powerful synthetic stimulant known as bath salts two days after she gave birth, while still in the maternity ward of a central Pennsylvania hospital, and violently attacking staff. Click below to read the rest of the story.
Carla Murphy, of Altoona, is charged with aggravated assault and various drug counts for allegedly stripping naked and fighting with staff at the Altoona Regional Hospital on June 17. Hospital police had to be called to subdue the 31-year-old after she stripped, rolled around on the shower floor, and was unable to answer questions posed by staff, according to the Altoona Mirror. Nurses initially became concerned after Murphy started swearing and acting aggressively, according to court records. But when staff attempted to escort Murphy into her room, she ran into the bathroom and rolled around naked on the shower floor, seemingly unaware of her whereabouts. Police searched the mother’s bag after she gave them permission and found evidence of drug use, including white powder Murphy described as ‘Disco’, which is a brand of bath salts. They noted that she appeared to be on drugs that were not administered by hospital staff and made the decision to keep her at the ward because she was ‘not of sound mind or able to make her own decisions.’ Doctors were forced to give her the anti-psychotic drug Haldol after they could not get her to calm down but she became more violent and attempted to run away. When officials tried to get Murphy to return to her room, she proceeded to punch a nurse and attempted to bite an officer, with the scuffle spilling into the hospital’s hallway. She was eventually handcuffed and arrested but continued to struggle, kicking a nurse who was trying to help her get dressed in the chest.
