A 17-month-old girl has died of fentanyl poisoning in Riverside County – yet another to a growing list of deaths that seem to have no boundaries on the ages or circumstances of the victims.
The baby’s death is still under investigation and authorities are releasing some details, but as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, sheriff’s deputies from Fort Norco responded to the report. about a child in need of medical help in the 100 block of 8th Street.
The delegates arrived and found the child not breathing.
“Lifesaving measures were taken by officers and Cal-Fire, but the teen did not respond and was pronounced dead,” the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. New information is posted.
“The death of any child is heartbreaking, especially those that could have been prevented,” Sgt. Deirdre Vickers, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Department. “Unfortunately, the increased use of fentanyl in our community is currently leading to the deaths of innocent children.”
In 2021, 1,557 children will die from fentanyl, including 40 infants and 93 children 1 to 4 years old, according to a report. new research.
Investigators quickly concluded that fentanyl played a role in the child’s death, whose name has not been released. According to prison records, police arrested the child’s mother, 32-year-old Jennifer Johanna Allen, within an hour of calling for help.
No details have been released as to why foul play or criminal negligence is suspected.
Allen is charged with murder and one felony child endangerment, which may include intentionally harming a child or letting a child be harmed.
Jennifer Johanna Allen has been arrested in connection with the death of her 17-month-old daughter with fentanyl.
(Riverside County Sheriff’s Department)
The breadth of stories about fentanyl-related deaths is vast, including stories about adolescents and children. Some young people have tried to harm themselves; some are just trying for pleasure and never realize that their drug of choice has been laced with deadly fentanyl. Others simply buy what they think is a safe drug online. And of course, a child will put almost anything in his mouth.
Legal opiates are also deadly. The safe storage and disposal of prescription drugs is essential to keeping children safe, researchers say.
Experts say more emphasis should be placed on harm reduction, including increasing access to naloxone overdose reversal medicationalso known as daffodilsin the home.
The LA school system is among those stocking up Narcan at schools and with their police officers – following the overdose death of a student at Bernstein High School in September. The district also allow students to bring Narcan with parental permission. Narcan has been held 26 times at schools in the months since Bernstein’s death.
According to official records, bail is set at $1 million per count for Allen, who is still being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.
