The baby was taken to hospital after police discovered the mother camping on a beach with her Spanish partner
Share
A British woman has been arrested at a Spanish tourist hotspot after her eight-month-old baby tested positive for cocaine.
The mother, 25, had been camping with her partner in the Costa del Sol when they lit a bonfire under a tree which alerted the attention of local police.
When officers arrived at Cabopino Beach, near Marbella, they became concerned for the child's living conditions and arranged for him to be sent to a nearby health centre to be checked over.
Police also found the couple had an uninsured car parked nearby, which had an expired MOT. They have since been arrested and are due to appear in court.
The baby was then transferred to Costa del Sol hospital after being seen at Las Albarizas medics, within the holiday resort.
Doctors found he was underweight for his age and a subsequent urine test returned a positive test for cocaine. He was sent to a paediatric unit while medics await further results.
The mother was identified as a 25-year-old British woman, and her partner as a 43-year-old Spanish man.
The woman had previously failed to attend several appointments she had made in the past few months at the paediatric unit where her child is being looked after, according to local reports.
The couple are due to appear in court later on Wednesday after being kept in a cell at Marbella police station overnight.
It is expected that a judge will release the pair on bail pending the ongoing investigation, while the baby is set to be taken into temporary emergency care.
Police have not yet made any official comment.