A woman has been charged with murder, after giving birth to premature twins, according to News Channel 9. Tiffany Marie Roberts, a Chattanooga, Tennesse resident, admitted to struggling with drug addiction and actively taking drugs while pregnant. In fact, although Tiffany attended her check-ups prior to the birth of her children, she tested positive for several different kinds of drugs on more than one occasion. Some of the drugs found in her bloodstream included cocaine, oxycodone, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepine.

Roberts found herself giving birth to her twins after taking ecstasy. After taking an ill turn, she went to the hospital, where the children were born prematurely. Sadly, the twins both died two days later. The 29-year-old has been charged with the viable fetus as a victim, aggravated abuse or neglect, and first-degree murder. The police were called and an investigation started immediately.

The affidavit confirms that both infants tested positive for different types of narcotics when they were born. Despite the care of the staff at Children's Hospital, the innocents eventually passed away, within nine hours of each other on Tuesday.

According to CNN, an estimated 1.7 million individuals in the US had drug abuse problems related to opioids in 2017 alone. 1.6 million people also report using methamphetamine annually, with 774,000 of these using it regularly. Drug addiction is still one of the biggest issues modern-day America faces. It's thought that one in three children in the foster care system has been removed due to issues with drug addiction. The impact this can have on children as they grow up is profound, with many going on to have mental health issues such as anxiety and depression later in life.

At this time, it's not clear if Roberts was known to caseworkers or if there were any plans in place for her to relinquish care after the babies were born. It's thought that Roberts isn't contesting the charges, which will play out before a judge at a later date. As of now, she remains in custody while the investigation moves forward. Sadly, this isn't the first case of its kind, and it likely won't be the last.

Related: Policies Regulating Alcohol And Drug Use During Pregnancy Doing More Harm Than Good