A 20-month-old biracial girl, known by her self-given nickname "JoJo," died on January 11, 2022, in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, from fentanyl toxicity. The manner of death was officially ruled as undetermined ("could not be determined") by the Jackson County Medical Examiner. No specific details about how the child came into contact with fentanyl are provided in the available documents. Her death was part of a broader pattern of young children dying from fentanyl exposure in the Kansas City area, with seven children ages 2 and under dying from fentanyl in Jackson County in 2022 alone.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
The medical examiner report (MO_22_543.pdf) lists the Cause of Death as "Fentanyl toxicity." The news article describes fentanyl overdoses among toddlers and this child's death occurred in that context, at age 20 months.
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The medical examiner report (MO_22_543.pdf) lists the manner of death as "Could not be determined," which is notable for a child fentanyl toxicity death. The news article also reveals a significant systemic issue: the Jackson County prosecutor, Jean Peters Baker, "said she was stunned to hear that seven children ages 2 and under died last year from fentanyl in her county. She said she only knew of three deaths and was able to file charges in two of those cases. But she didn't know about the other four until The Star told her." This child's death on January 11, 2022 was among those seven, highlighting a gap in communication between the medical examiner's office and prosecutorial authorities regarding child fentanyl deaths.
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.