On February 5, 2022, a 13-year-old girl in Madison County, New York, was left home overnight with her 14-year-old sibling while her mother went to work. The mother's partner dropped off food around 10:15 PM and left. When the mother and her partner returned home around 11:00 AM on February 6, they found the child unresponsive and cold on the mother's bed at approximately 11:50 AM. She was pronounced dead at 12:10 PM. An autopsy found no evidence of trauma, but toxicology results revealed 5.7 ng/mL of fentanyl in the child's blood. The cause of death was determined to be toxic effects of fentanyl, ruled accidental. Law enforcement found empty packages of synthetic marijuana and a grinder in the mother's bedside nightstand, and the brand of synthetic marijuana was known to contain fentanyl. The mother and her partner denied knowledge of the child's drug use and did not fully cooperate with the criminal investigation. Allegations of inadequate guardianship, lack of supervision, and child's drug/alcohol use were substantiated against both the mother and her partner.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
The fatality report explicitly states: "toxicology results showed the child had 5.7 ng/ML of fentanyl in her blood. The cause of death was determined to be toxic effects of fentanyl and the manner of death was accidental." Additionally, the allegation of "Childs Drug / Alcohol Use" was substantiated against both the mother and her partner.
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)?
The fatality report states the mother left the 13-year-old subject child and 14-year-old sibling home alone overnight while she worked. Allegations of Lack of Supervision were substantiated against both the mother and her partner. The report further notes: "The mother was previously advised not to leave the 14-year-old sibling unsupervised with any children following an incident in October 2021. Despite this knowledge, the mother left the subject child unsupervised with the sibling overnight." The supervisor was marked as "Absent" at time of incident.
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?
The biological mother was listed as an Alleged Perpetrator. Allegations of DOA/Fatality, Child's Drug/Alcohol Use, Inadequate Guardianship, and Lack of Supervision were all substantiated against the mother regarding the deceased child. The report states: "they were both aware there was drug paraphernalia in the mother's nightstand that was accessible to the child" and the mother left the children unsupervised overnight.
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)?
The mother's partner (male, age 32) was listed as an Alleged Perpetrator. The same allegations of DOA/Fatality, Child's Drug/Alcohol Use, Inadequate Guardianship, and Lack of Supervision were substantiated against him regarding the deceased child. The report states he "was aware the children were left home alone and he failed to provide any supervision for the children" and that he was aware of the drug paraphernalia accessible to the child.
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)?
The fatality report documents extensive prior CPS history. Within three years: an SCR report dated 11/09/2021 alleged Educational Neglect and Inadequate Guardianship against the mother regarding the 14-year-old sibling (unfounded), and an SCR report dated 12/15/2020 alleged Inadequate Guardianship and Lacerations/Bruises/Welts against the mother regarding the 14-year-old sibling (unfounded). Additional reports going back to 2015 are also listed, including FAR-tracked and unsubstantiated reports involving both the subject child and 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?
The fatality report references prior criminal history for both the mother and her partner. Regarding the mother, the 12/15/2020 report states: "the mother was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Assault based on a mandatory arrest law" after she hit the sibling with a glass olive oil bottle. Regarding the partner, the report states: "Based on concerns for his criminal history, the mother was advised not to leave the children alone in the care of her partner." Both references predate and are separate from the child's death.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states that "law enforcement found empty packages for synthetic marijuana and a grinder in the night stand next to the mother's bed" and that "they were both aware there was drug paraphernalia in the mother's nightstand that was accessible to the child." The mother attributed these to a maternal aunt, but "The maternal aunt was interviewed by law enforcement, and she denied that she used synthetic marijuana or that she left packages of the drug in the home." Furthermore, the mother and partner "declined to do a polygraph test" and "did not fully cooperate with the criminal investigation." While not explicitly confirmed, the presence of drug paraphernalia in the mother's personal nightstand and the aunt's denial strongly imply substance use by the parent/caregiver.
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the fatality report. First, law enforcement reported that "the brand of synthetic marijuana found in the mother's nightstand was known to have fentanyl mixed into the substance," suggesting the likely source of the fatal fentanyl exposure was the drug paraphernalia in the mother's own nightstand. Second, the mother and her partner "did not fully cooperate with the criminal investigation into how the child obtained fentanyl" and "declined to do a polygraph test." Third, the mother had been "previously advised not to leave the 14-year-old sibling unsupervised with any children following an incident in October 2021," yet she left the subject child unsupervised with that sibling overnight. Fourth, OCFS noted that "Service needs related to the educational neglect were not fully explored" and "The family would have benefited from a referral for preventive services in Onondaga County," pointing to a service gap. Fifth, the 14-year-old sibling had extreme truancy — "absent for over 110 days of the 2020-2021 school year" and "only attended 5 days in the 2021-2022 school year" — yet MCDSS was advised against filing a Neglect Petition. Finally, the prior preventive services case was closed at the mother's request in 2019, at which point the sibling was receiving multiple services.
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