Krystin Lisaius, 26, and her husband Somchai Lisaius, 42, rushed their four-month-old baby to hospital when the infant stopped eating normally, became “ragdoll-like”, and “unable to wake up”.
However, despite their concern for their child, the married television reporters reportedly became “uncooperative” when doctors attempted to carry out blood and urine tests.
They “did not want any lab work performed on the child,” according to the police report.
The Lisaiuses eventually consented to a urine test, which revealed the baby had ingested cocaine.
Staff at the hospital called the police and child welfare services, who quickly arrived to investigate the couple.
Krystin admitted to breastfeeding the four-month-old baby 12 hours after ingesting cocaine at a small party at her home the night before.
She reportedly said that she did not think her baby would be affected by the drug 12 hours afterwards.
The couple were arrested on charges of possession of a dangerous drug, drug paraphernalia and child abuse.
They appeared in court on Monday, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Their lawyer, Michael Picarreta, told Tucson News Now: “It would be a gross, gross injustice [with] even the mention of prison time.
“I anticipate they will demonstrate that they have learned a very hard, embarrassing lesson and that this will become a footnote in their life, not a chapter.”
The former reporters have been granted visitation rights to their baby, who has been in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
They will next appear in court July 28.