I agree, but opioid abusers are not as callous as the meth head or crack head IMO. Opioids are certainly causing havoc and such but they numb the user and put them in a state of bliss rather than what meth or crack head users experience or exhibits and/or does. Just my opinion from my knowledge and experience. Heroin, opioid, users want their "peace or high" and use the drug to make everything "good". Meth and crack, from my knowledge, is different. From classes I took years ago I have more knowledge about Meth abuse then crack but meth, for a mother, will inhibit any connection/bond that a mom has toward a child or toward protecting a child. Essentially, and in my words only, meth can erase in the brain the natural tendency that a normal mother would have toward protecting her child. Please note, these are my words and explanation only and I may have not articulated my point well but I do know meth will really negatively impact how a mother and her natural instincts to protect a child is incapacitated and diminished. Heroin/Opioids, as terrible as they are and the addiction is, doesn't necessarily create anger or meanness. Most heroin addicts I have spoken to or learned from tell me that Heroin just erases pain and "helps them get through a day" without having to deal with life in general and they tend to be rather peaceful. Apparently Heroin/opioids numb. Meth and crack abuse from my understanding is a whole other issue.
Not that any of this matters at this point, for whatever reason this little 5 year old, AJ, lost his life to at least one parent that had substance abuse issues, not that drug abuse should be an excuse. I think Joanne and "the father" of AJ and Parker may just be horribly terrible selfish abusive beings and, as only a side note, they have drug related addictions that may have contributed to their actions. Who knows? It is a sad shame that this little boy, AJ, lost his life to two losers and maybe two drug abusers.