On January 16, Circleville police received a call from OhioHealth Berger Emergency Department about a child who was not breathing. The 20-month-old boy was pronounced dead at the hospital from a fentanyl overdose. His 3-year-old sibling was also brought in due to sickness and vomiting after ingesting fentanyl but recovered and was released to family members. An investigation determined that both children ingested fentanyl at the family's apartment in Circleville, Ohio (Pickaway County). The parents, Brianna Roush and Nicholas Lee, both admitted to using and selling narcotics including fentanyl and crack cocaine, though they claimed they did not know how the children got the drugs. Both parents had known substance abuse issues and prior run-ins with police. A prior drug case against them had been delayed by seven months in being sent to the county prosecutor's office, raising questions about whether systemic failures contributed to the child's death. Both parents were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to at least 19 years in prison.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Both documents explicitly describe the child's death as resulting from fentanyl ingestion. Document 1 states: "The Circleville mother whose 1-year-old died after ingesting fentanyl." Document 2 states: "their son died of a fentanyl overdose in the family's apartment." The 3-year-old sibling also ingested fentanyl and became sick.
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)?
While the text does not use the word "supervision" directly, the circumstances strongly imply inappropriate supervision: two young children (aged 20 months and 3 years) ingested fentanyl in the family's apartment while their parents were actively using and selling narcotics. Document 1 states: "an investigation uncovered that both children ingested fentanyl at the family's apartment." The parents' drug use and dealing created conditions where young children had access to lethal substances.
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?
Document 2 identifies Nicholas Lee as "The Circleville father whose 1-year-old son died after ingesting fentanyl." Both documents identify Lee as one of "the parents" and he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He admitted to using and selling narcotics including fentanyl and crack cocaine in the family apartment where the child ingested the drugs.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Document 1 identifies Brianna Roush as "The Circleville mother whose 1-year-old died after ingesting fentanyl." She pled guilty and was sentenced to a minimum of 19 years. Both documents describe her as one of "the parents" who admitted to using and selling narcotics.
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?
Both parents were convicted and sentenced. Document 1 states Brianna Roush "pled guilty in the death of her 20-month-old son" and was sentenced to at least 19 years. Document 2 states Nicholas Lee was also "sentenced to at least 19 years in prison." Both faced charges of "involuntary manslaughter, child endangering and possession of fentanyl."
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?
Document 1 states: "10 Investigates discovered the boy's parents both had substance abuse issues and several run-ins with police." Additionally, both documents reference a prior drug case against the parents that predated the child's death: "Our investigation also uncovered a delay in a drug case against the boy's parents getting sent to the county prosecutor's office" with a "7-month paperwork delay." These "run-ins with police" and the prior drug case are separate from the charges arising from the child's death.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Both documents explicitly state that the parents admitted to substance use. Document 1 states: "Roush and Nicholas Lee, both admitted to using and selling narcotics, including fentanyl and crack cocaine." Document 2 similarly states: "Roush and Lee both admitted to using and selling narcotics, including fentanyl and crack cocaine." Additionally, Document 1 notes: "10 Investigates discovered the boy's parents both had substance abuse issues."
Notable Details
Both documents reference a significant systemic failure: a 7-month paperwork delay in a prior drug case against the parents getting sent to the county prosecutor's office. Document 1 states: "Our investigation also uncovered a delay in a drug case against the boy's parents getting sent to the county prosecutor's office, leading to questions about if the system failed him." This delay is identified as a potential factor in the child's death, suggesting that had the prior drug case been processed in a timely manner, the child might have been protected. Additionally, both parents were not only using but also selling narcotics from the family apartment, and their 3-year-old child also ingested fentanyl but survived. The Reagan Tokes Act was applied to the sentencing, allowing for potential additional incarceration time.
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