The Children

unnamed child

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STATE INFO

CANDID ID: ND_24_1355

AGE

2 years

STATE

North Dakota

DATE OF DEATH

1/21/2024

MEDIA

kfyrtv.com

DEATH RECORDS

Not Available

STATE REPORTS

Not Available

SUMMARY OF DEATH

A two-year-old boy in Bismarck, North Dakota died from fentanyl poisoning in January 2024. Police responded to a call and found the child unresponsive at the home of his parents, Jasmine Charging (29) and Jordan Many Ribs (28), who were attempting to revive him. The child was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. A medical examiner found a lethal amount of fentanyl in the boy's system. Investigators found fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana easily accessible to children in the home. Charging reportedly cleaned up drugs and deleted information from her phone rather than immediately calling 911 when the child was in distress. Both parents, described as struggling with addiction, pleaded guilty to endangerment of a child resulting in death, child neglect, and drug-related charges. In December 2024, they were each sentenced to 25 years with 13 years suspended, required to serve at least 12 years.

Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Both documents describe the child dying from fentanyl poisoning. Document 1 states: "their two-year-old child died from fentanyl poisoning" and "the child's urine was positive for fentanyl." Document 2 adds that "a medical examiner found a lethal amount of fentanyl in the boy's system" and that drugs were "easily accessible to children in the home."

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)?

Document 2 states: "Investigators say there was fentanyl, meth and other drugs easily accessible to children in the home." This describes a failure to appropriately supervise the child's environment by leaving lethal drugs within the child's reach.

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?

Document 2 quotes State's Attorney Dennis Ingold: "when that child was in distress, when they should have been calling 911, when they should have been getting help, they were thinking about themselves." This strongly implies the parents failed to promptly seek medical care for the child, which constitutes 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?

Jordan Many Ribs is consistently referred to as a parent of the child. Document 2 quotes his attorney saying "the death of his child," and Document 1 calls them "Bismarck parents." While the text does not explicitly state he is the biological father, the consistent use of "parents" and "his child" strongly implies biological parentage.

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

Jasmine Charging is consistently referred to as a parent. Document 2 quotes her attorney referring to "Ms. Charging's child," and she herself states: "My addiction took everything from me." She is referred to as one of the "parents" in both articles, strongly implying biological motherhood.

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?

Document 1 states: "Bismarck Police arrested a Bismarck couple" and "Charging and Many Ribs are charged with endangerment of a child resulting in death, child neglect and drug possession." Document 2 confirms they pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 25 years with 13 years suspended.

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?

Document 2 quotes Charging's attorney: "You have a person that's a drug addict, that's living in a cycle of addiction and it's ugly." Charging herself states: "My addiction took everything from me." Document 1 notes fentanyl, meth, and marijuana were found in the home. Multiple references establish the parents as active substance users.

Notable Details

Document 2 reveals several notable details: (1) Charging admitted she "cleaned up drugs and deleted information from her phone" instead of immediately seeking help, and the State's Attorney emphasized that "when that child was in distress, when they should have been calling 911, when they should have been getting help, they were thinking about themselves." (2) Defense attorneys noted "the full medical examiner's report is not available, so they don't have an official cause of death" and "the child had a seizure months before," raising questions about whether the full circumstances of death were ever conclusively established despite the guilty pleas and sentencing.