The sheriff says the boy died in Florida after his teenage mother poured enough fentanyl into a bottle to “kill 10 people.”
NASSAU COUNTY, Florida. – A 9-month-old boy died last month in Florida after his teenage mother was accused of slipping enough fentanyl into his bottle to kill 10 people, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leaper said during a press conference that the 17-year-old mother was arrested on charges of aggravated manslaughter and possession of illegal substances.
According to Liper, the mother allegedly admitted to investigators that she mistook fentanyl for cocaine and slipped it into her baby’s bottle to put him to sleep because she was tired and wanted to take a nap.
“She added what she thought was cocaine to the bottle, but it was actually fentanyl. She put him to bed to sleep, but he never woke up,” Leeper said at a press conference on Wednesday.
MPs answered a question about the residence on Deerfield Country Club Road in Callahan, about 20 miles north of Jacksonville, Liper said.
Detectives said that upon arrival they found the boy unconscious on the living room floor. He was not breathing and had no pulse.
According to Liper, the child was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Leeper said the sheriff’s office received a forensic report that fentanyl was found in the child’s blood, and determined that the cause of his death was an overdose of fentanyl.
“I have about 29 nanograms in this bottle of pills. It’s hard to see. But that would have killed about ten people right here. Think about it. Small child. It’s in his system,” Leeper said.
Officials are not releasing the names of the mother or her child due to Marcy’s law.
Leeper added that while the mother was in prison, she indicated that she might become pregnant again.
He also urged struggling parents to seek help, saying resources are available. Click here for more information.
Copyright 2023 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
