A TWO-year-old who swallowed ecstasy left on the floor of her family home has been returned to her parents just a week after the potentially fatal incident.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Department of Community Services has decided the parents are fit to care for the girl, despite receiving two previous reports, which were not drug-related, of concern for the child's health.

The girl's 29-year-old father faces two drug charges after the girl ingested an MDMA tablet - the illegal drug known as ecstasy - last Thursday morning at their home in Engadine, in Sydney's south.

The decision to allow the girl back into her parent's care caused outrage, with the State Opposition last night demanding Community Services Minister Kevin Greene explain the "extraordinary" move.

"It seems extraordinary that DOCS seems so lightly to have returned the child, despite the experience," Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said. "At some stage the rights of the child have to come ahead of the rights of their parents."

The Daily Telegraph can reveal when the child fell ill her mother became concerned and woke her partner, who allegedly noticed ecstasy on the kitchen floor and feared the girl may have eaten one.

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Both parents rushed the girl to hospital and allegedly told doctors she may have ingested ecstasy. Doctors called police who accompanied the father back to the family home.

"Police will allege a number of tablets, believed to be ecstasy, were found on the kitchen floor," police said.

The man is to face Sutherland Court next month charged with possessing a prohibited drug and supplying or knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug.

The couple also have a baby who was born premature and remains in hospital.

The mother yesterday told The Daily Telegraph police had not found ecstasy in the house and it was her partner who had been forthright. "The only way they found out was from (the father)," she said.

She pleaded with people not to judge her family because of "one person's mistake".

A hospital spokeswoman said the girl was treated and released the same day. DOCS said she was released into the care of extended family before being returned to her parents.

A DOCS spokeswoman said the parents would be strictly monitored, including random urine analysis and home visits.

The Daily Telegraph yesterday saw two women, believed to be DOCS workers, arrive and speak to the mother, who agreed to give a blood sample.

In 2003, a woman was charged after her daughter, 3, allegedly swallowed five ecstasy tablets which she mistook for lollies.

The child recovered and was placed in the care of DOCS and the mother placed on a two-year good behaviour bond.

source:

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