A Uintah County mother has been arrested and is charged with Felony child abuse after it was discovered that she puts Borax in her children’s water. According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, Child and Family Services received a report of the alleged behavior in January which stated that the child had been sick a lot with upset stomachs and rashes. Interviews were conducted at the Children’s Justice Center with one of the children. During the interview, the child confirmed that the mother put Borax in their drinking water, citing health and weight loss reasons. The dose was described as a pinch of Borax once a day that had been going on for a few years. Borax is a household cleaning product that is not recommended nor FDA approved for ingestion and the potential side effects include kidney issues, anemia, seizures, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and rashes. When a caseworker asked the mother about giving her children Borax she responded that the caseworker was uneducated and not allowed in the residence. On February 7th a search warrant was approved to search for Borax at the residence. Before the warrant was served, the mother denied providing her children with Borax but later stated that there was a time when all their family members were sick with strep throat except her two children, alluding that they were not sick due to the Borax ingestion. She did admit that she adds Borax to her own drinking water to help with inflammation, pain, and weight loss. Multiple boxes and a jar of Borax were located. 48-year-old Barbara Susan Williford was arrested and is charged with 3rd Degree Felony Aggravated Child Abuse and Misdemeanor Surreptitious Administration of a Deleterious Substance. Williford was ordered to be held without bail.
