Area mother of twins gets probation after putting rubbing alcohol in milk

A Clay County woman who put rubbing alcohol into the sipping cups of milk of her twin infant daughters was sentenced Thursday to five years of probation.

Gloria S. Jones, 24, of Kansas City, North, was convicted on two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child for the incident on Oct. 29, 2012.

Jones was convicted in June during a two-day jury trial where she represented herself. Jurors recommended that Jones be sentenced to a total of five years in prison on both criminal charges.

Jones was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison, but that sentence was suspended while she serves probation. If Jones violates probation, the judge said, she will serve the prison time.

According to authorities, police were called to Children’s Mercy Hospital in October 2012 to investigate allegations that the twins had ingested rubbing alcohol, which nearly killed one of them.

Investigators spoke with relatives and later with Jones, who admitted pouring rubbing alcohol into their sipping cups of milk. Jones said she was feeling overwhelmed with caring for the twins and thought the rubbing alcohol would calm them down because they were “whiny.” She told police that was the only time she gave the infants any kind of alcohol.

One of the twins had to be placed on a ventilator. The girls soon recovered and have no lasting effects.

On Thursday, Assistant Prosecutor Corey Carter said at the time of the incident Jones had four children, including the twins, under 2 years old. Those children are now in the care of relatives.

Carter also pointed out that Jones is pregnant with another child.

Jones was represented by an attorney at her sentencing. When the two of them attempted to say Jones’ 2-year-old son put the rubbing alcohol in the sipping cups, Circuit Judge Janet Sutton abruptly cut them off.

“I’m not going to allow you to trample over a 2-year-old,” Sutton said.

In considering probation, Sutton said that if she imposed a prison sentence, Jones would probably be released after serving a few months. Jones will be allowed to have supervised visits with her children.

Jones was initially scheduled to be sentenced in August, but the hearing was delayed several times after she sought to hire an attorney. The sentencing on Thursday was delayed because the attorney arrived about 15 minutes late.

This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 7:25 PM with the headline "Area mother of twins gets probation after putting rubbing alcohol in milk."