LUDLOW, Ky. – A 2-year-old Kentucky boy died Thursday after ingesting his mother’s fentanyl while the woman slept, authorities said.
The woman, Lauren Ashley Baker, 33, of Ludlow, was charged with murder, importing fentanyl and trafficking a controlled substance, WLWT reported.
Police and fire crews responded to a home in Ludlow at about 3:34 p.m. Thursday for a child that was not breathing, WXIX reported. FIrst responders found the boy in respiratory arrest, the television station reported. He was taken to a Cincinnati hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An investigation found the child had been home with Baker, WLWT reported. Baker admitted she used money from her stimulus check to buy fentanyl in Cincinnati, according to WXIX. According to a police report, Baker brought the narcotics back to Ludlow and shared it with two people.
Baker said she “took a shot” of fentanyl and fell asleep, the television station reported.
Baker told police that when she woke up, she found the contents of her purse emptied out and her son not breathing, WXIX reported. The woman and the child’s father, who had just arrived at the home, called 911, the television station reported.
Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders said Friday that while the child did ingest the fentanyl, he could not confirm if it was eaten, WXIX reported.
Sanders said fentanyl is so dangerous that even touching it could be lethal, especially for a 2-year-old, the television station reported.
