Global Courant 2023-05-12 07:41:19
A 17-month-old girl has died of fentanyl poisoning in Riverside County – adding another case to a growing number of fatalities that seems to know no limit on the age or circumstances of the victims.
The baby’s death is still under investigation and authorities are releasing few details, but at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Norco station sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a child requiring medical attention in the 100 block of 8th Street.
Deputies arrived and found the child was not breathing.
“Life-saving measures were conducted by deputies and Cal-Fire, but the youth did not respond and was pronounced dead,” the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department announced in a statement. press release.
“The death of a child is heartbreaking, especially one that could have been prevented,” said Sgt. Deirdre Vickers, Sheriff’s Department Information Officer. “It is unfortunate that the increase in fentanyl use in our communities is now leading to the deaths of innocent children.”
There were 1,557 pediatric deaths from fentanyl in 2021, including 40 infants and 93 children ages 1 to 4, according to a new study.
Investigators quickly concluded that fentanyl played a role in the death of the child, whose name has not been released. Officers arrested the child’s mother, Jennifer Johanna Allen, 32, within an hour of calling for help, according to prison records.
No details have been released as to why foul play or criminal negligence was suspected.
Allen was charged with one murder and one felony count of child endangerment, which included intentionally harming a child or exposing a child to harm.
Jennifer Johanna Allen was arrested in connection with the death of her 17-month-old daughter from fentanyl.
(Riverside County Sheriff’s Department)
The breadth of the stories underlying fentanyl-related deaths is vast, including that of teens and children. Some youths tried to harm themselves; some were just trying to get high and never realized their drug of choice was spiked with the deadly fentanyl. Others had simply purchased what they thought was a safe drug online. And of course, a baby puts almost everything in his mouth.
Legal opioids also pose a lethal risk. Researchers say safe storage and disposal of prescription drugs is necessary to protect children from harm.
More emphasis should be placed on harm reduction, experts say, including increasing access to the drug naloxone, also known as Narcan, in homes.
The LA school system is one of those stocking Narcan in schools and its police officers — in the wake of the overdose death of a student at Bernstein High in September. The district also allows students to wear Narcan with parental consent. Narcan has been administered in schools 26 times in the months since Bernstein’s death.
Bail was set at $1 million for each count for Allen, who remains in custody at Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, according to official records.
