MEMPHIS, Tenn. –Jamillah Falls is the first woman to be arrested under a new state law for giving birth to a drug-addicted baby. But now she’s onto phase two: treatment.
A judge has ordered her to a 28-day treatment at the Serenity House. He says if she leaves before that’s up, she’ll go straight to jail.
William Gosnell, Jamillah Falls’ attorney, said, “She’s much better today.”
After a week of drug withdrawals and court appearances Falls is now going to get help.
She was on the run from police for a week after authorities found out she did heroin two days before giving birth to her child on July 5.
Monday, the judge dropped her $100,000 bond so she could go to treatment.
Gosnell said, “She thanked him, which is remarkable considering she had a very bad weekend of withdrawals from drugs.”
Her friends tell WREG she didn’t mean to get pregnant, and that she’s been struggling with addiction for years. Now she’ll have to stay on course with the judge’s orders if she wants to see her baby, who is in DCS custody for now.
“I believe they will let her have visitation with this baby as soon as she gets out of serenity house in 28 days,” Falls’ lawyer said.
Falls broke her probation in criminal court when she was arrested for this. Now another judge will have to sign off on the first judge’s ruling before she’s admitted to treatment.