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Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper holds up a baby bottle similar to the one laced with fentanyl that was given to a nine-month-old baby. Photo by Holly Dorman/News-Leader
A young woman has been charged with aggravated manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance following the death of her 9-month-old baby.
According to court reports, deputies from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 call on June 26 regarding the baby, who was unresponsive, transported to Baptist North Hospital and pronounced dead there. An autopsy revealed the baby died of a fentanyl overdose. Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said test results showed the baby’s blood contained 29 nanograms of fentanyl per 1 milliliter of blood, nearly 10 times the lethal dosage.
Following the results of the autopsy, the mother, herself a minor, was brought in for an interview with detectives. Leeper said she confessed to putting what she thought was cocaine in her baby’s bottle to help get him to sleep. She was subsequently arrested, charged and booked into the Nassau County jail.
Leeper said the mother is 17 years old, though due to Marsy’s Law, not much else is available on either the arrestee or the victim.
The case is still under investigation and it remains to be seen if others will be charged in the case. Leeper confirmed there were adults in the house where the incident took place and court records confirm a bag with fentanyl residue was collected from the house.
“Our deputies respond to many situations every day,” Leeper said. “They see a lot, and it sometimes seems, over the years, that nothing surprises us anymore. Every now and then, something does happen that you can’t really explain.”
Just 3 nanograms per milliliter of blood is enough for a fatal overdose in a fully grown adult, making the deadly 29 nanograms per milliliter found in the baby enough to kill almost 10 adults.
“Babies are the most vulnerable among us,” he said. “They are solely dependent upon someone else for all of their needs. For everything, they need someone to feed them, to clothe them, to protect them, to love and provide a nurturing environment so they have an opportunity to grow up safely and become productive citizens.”
NCSO is still investigating this case, as well as the Department of Children and Families.
In Nassau County, programs and organizations such as Better Together, Family Support Services of North Florida and NCSO’s victim advocates are available to help families who may be experiencing hard times.
“It starts in the home,” Leeper said. “You have to teach your kids about the dangers of drugs.”
hdorman@fbnewsleader.com
