Woman loses custody over drug test, turns out to be sedative she was given

(Santa Ana, California-AP) -- A California woman lost custody of her newborn son and three other children for three months, after<br>the baby failed a drug test.<br><br>But after all that, county child

Friday, February 11th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Santa Ana, California-AP) -- A California woman lost custody of her newborn son and three other children for three months, after
the baby failed a drug test.

But after all that, county child welfare officials learned that the drug found in the woman's baby boy was a common sedative that she had been given during labor.

During the three months, Noel Lujan wasn't allowed to feed her child without supervision by one of her parents.

She says she lost her job because of absences to attend a drug treatment program that county officials sent her to.

The doctor who gave her the sedative says he wasn't contacted by child welfare officials.

The head of the Orange County Children and Family Services agency says, "If this is an honest error, then we are sincerely sorry." He says, "It is not a perfect system."