A mother who is a drug addict gave her baby concentrated heroin to 'knock him out or make him sleep' so she could take crack cocaine 'in peace', a court has heard.
Kelly Emery, 34, was charged with manslaughter after her son Fenton Hogan died of a heroine overdose.
Emery denies giving the two-year-old the heroin substitute to make him sleep and is currently on trial at Nottingham Crown Court but the baby's grandmother Angela Emery, Kelly Emery's mother, told the court her daughter 'cared more about drugs than her children
When she was asked how her daughter funded her habit in the months before Fenton's death, Mrs Emery said: 'Selling herself, basically.'She would phone [me] regularly for money - she would claim it was for gas, electricity or food.'
Mrs Emery said her daughter had been addicted to drugs since the age of 17.
She said it was clear from her daughter's home and her appearance that she was an addict.
Mrs Emery told the court the house was mess and her daughter was 'not bothered' about housework or ensuring the children had clean clothes.
A post-mortem examination revealed Fenton had ingested methadone at least twice before his death
Emery has pleaded guilty to causing Fenton's death by gross negligence but denies charges of manslaughter and cruelty.
Christopher Hotten QC, prosecuting, alleged Emery deliberately gave the toddler concentrated heroine in order to 'knock him out' so she could take crack cocaine in peace.
The trial continues.