Police testing substance they said mother put in sick baby’s IV

A Conover woman is in jail, charged with abusing her 5-month-old daughter inside a children's hospital, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officials said Thursday.

CMPD Youth Crimes detectives told Eyewitness News they're working with doctors at Carolinas Medical Center to review Naomi Parlier's patient history.

The baby has been at Levine Children's Hospital for months.

"She had a cleft palate. She had problems -- a lot of problems -- blood transfusions, stuff like that," said the girl's uncle, Timothy Justice.

Naomi has had surgeries, but she continues to struggle. At 5 months old, she weighs less than 8 pounds.

SLIDESHOW: Photos of Naomi Parlier

"She'd get better, then go downhill, get better, then go downhill," said Timonthy Parlier, Naomi's father.

Police said that on Wednesday, they caught Naomi's mother, Ladonna Parlier, 26, on surveillance video abusing her child. Detectives said she pulled out a syringe from Naomi's IV line, then injected an "unknown substance" back into the IV. Police are still testing the IV line and the bag.

Ladonna Parlier is charged with five counts of child abuse and five counts of child neglect. She's still in the Mecklenburg County Jail.

Ladonna Parlier's husband, Timothy Parlier, told Eyewitness News he wants to see the surveillance video because he can't believe the charges.

"I'm devastated. I love her to death. I don't believe none of it," Timothy Parlier said, adding that his wife is a loving and devoted mother, concerned only about Naomi's weight and condition.

"I can't get it in my head this really happened," Timothy Parlier said.

Police said doctors have been suspicious for quite some time; in fact, doctors moved Naomi into a new room Wednesday -- one equipped with a surveillance camera.

Eyewitness News asked police for the surveillance video, but officers said they can't release it.

Police are testing the substance and said based on what they find out after talking to doctors, there could be more charges.

Family members told Eyewitness News Naomi is still at the hospital, and is in stable condition.

 Officials have not said where the Parliers' three other children are staying.

Neighbors said they have not seen them for more than a week.