'Liquid Gold' For Babies Coveted By Moms, Thieves

TAMPA - It's known in some parts of the country as "liquid gold."

If breast milk is not available, baby formula is vital to an infant's survival. In the past decade, however, it has become a precious commodity kept locked on drugstore shelves, in high demand at local food banks and among the most popular retail items sought by organized crime rings.

With families spending on average about $100 a month on formula, some squeezed by the current economy have resorted to measures so desperate they are unknowingly risking their babies' lives.

Five-month-old La'Damian Barton almost died last week of water intoxication after ingesting watered-down formula since birth. His mother, 23-year-old Jeri Moss, said she had added extra water to her 18-month-old daughter's bottles as well, with no ill effect. This morning, her story was featured on the 'Today' show.

Health-care professionals worry the practice will become more widespread.

"Formula is something that the ministries struggles with," said Anna Mendez, spokeswoman for Metropolitan Ministries, which helps about 120 families a day find food, shelter and other services. "We give it out when it's available."

Powdered formulas such as Similac cost about $25 a 23.2-ounce container, so donors usually purchase cheaper items so they can give more.

"One can of formula is the equivalent of a lot of cans of food," said Marc Sutherland, resource development director for America's Second Harvest Tampa Bay.

The cost of baby formula also makes it a favorite target of thieves, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Florida Marketing Institute.

"If you can walk out with a case, that's quite a haul," said Ty Kelley, the institute's director of government relations.

Shoplifters can easily steal $5,000 to $10,000 worth of formula a store, said special agent Dave Couvertier, a Tampa spokesman. An accomplished thief can earn about $100,000 to $200,000 a year.

At some Walgreens drugstores in Tampa, powdered formulas are kept locked on a shelf, a precaution that started about four years ago.

"People need it and it isn't cheap," said company spokesman Robert Elfinger.

Stolen formula is sold at auctions or to smaller stores and warehouses and online. Thieves may change expiration dates, switch labels, and even dilute the formula.

Formula heavily diluted with water can lead to malnutrition and water intoxication, which can cause seizures, damage to the brain, underdeveloped organs and death.

La'Damian was lucky, doctors at University Community Hospital said. Another hour without medical attention and he would've died.

The incident prompted an outpouring of support from strangers who said they, too, had been unaware of the dangers of water.

"I know people who do this," said Natasha Perez of Carrollwood, who feeds her 7-month-old formula.

Few people realize how many infants face hunger here in the Bay area, said Susan Martin-Warren, a trainer with Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County. She wondered why, during the holidays, offers to help don't focus on the babies most in need.

"Why do we have turkey drives when we should be holding formula drives?"

News Channel 8 reporter Katie Coronado contributed to this report. Reporter Sherri Ackerman can be reached at [phone]. Reporter Mary Shedden can be reached at [phone].