Nevaeh Reed
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CANDID ID: TX_24_2195
AGE
2   years
STATE
Texas
DATE OF DEATH
2/28/2024
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
Two-year-old Nevaeh Reed died on February 28, 2024, from fentanyl poisoning after ingesting the drug while visiting her father Michael Reed's apartment in Mansfield, Texas. On February 18, while her father was asleep on the couch, the child wandered unsupervised through the apartment, which contained fentanyl pills, drug paraphernalia, marijuana, and a loaded gun. A roommate found the child with powder on her around 8 p.m. When three adults in the home—the father, his sister Jamie Popovic, and a roommate—realized the child was suffering a possible overdose, the father instructed them not to call 911 out of fear of losing custody of his children. Instead, Reed Googled how to make a child throw up, attempted to induce vomiting, and tried to order naloxone through the DoorDash delivery app. Approximately two hours passed before 911 was called, at which point the child had stopped breathing. Nevaeh was placed on a ventilator for 10 days before being pronounced brain dead. Reed was charged with causing serious bodily injury to a child and failure to safeguard fentanyl, while Popovic was charged with abandoning/endangering a child.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Both documents describe the child's death as the result of fentanyl ingestion/overdose. The NBC DFW article states: "Nevaeh's death on Feb. 28 is being linked to fentanyl poisoning." The WFAA article states: "Two suspects have been charged in a case of a 2-year-old child who appears to have overdosed on fentanyl." A pill found near the child tested positive for fentanyl, and the mother confirmed the child "had a lethal dose of fentanyl in her system."

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)?

Both documents indicate inappropriate supervision. The WFAA article states: "Reed and Popovic's roommate said it wasn't unusual for the child to roam the apartment without any guidance." The NBC DFW article states that "Reed's male roommate reportedly told police the child wandered into his upstairs room at about 8 p.m. and he noticed she had 'powder all over her'" while her father was asleep on the couch. The child had unsupervised access to fentanyl pills and drug paraphernalia throughout the apartment.

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?

Both documents describe a deliberate failure to seek medical care. The NBC DFW article states: "At some point, all three adults realized the girl was suffering from a possible drug overdose and failed to call 911." The WFAA article states: "according to Reed's YouTube search history, he didn't call for help for two hours, and didn't call 911 until his daughter stopped breathing." Reed actively told others not to call 911, and instead attempted home remedies. This constitutes medical neglect in the form of failing to obtain emergency medical care for a child in acute distress.

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?

The NBC DFW article identifies Michael Ray Reed, 26, as the child's biological father. He is charged in connection with her death: "Her father, Michael Reed, is charged in the toddler's death." The WFAA article confirms: "Michael Reed, the 26-year-old father of the child, was charged with causing serious bodily injury to a child, a first degree felony." The child was at his apartment when she ingested fentanyl, and he failed to call 911.

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)

Jamie Popovic, the father's sister and the child's aunt, is charged with abandoning/endangering a child. The NBC DFW article states: "Reed's sister, Jamie Popovic, who also lives in the apartment, lied about what time she arrived home to find the girl in trouble." She was present during the child's medical crisis and failed to call 911 at Reed's instruction. The WFAA article confirms she was charged with "abandoning/endangering a child, a state jail felony."

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 documents confirm charges were filed. The NBC DFW article states: "Reed is charged with failure to seek help and failure to safeguard fentanyl. Popovic is charged with abandoning/endangering a child. Both have since bonded out of jail." The WFAA article states: "Michael Reed, the 26-year-old father of the child, was charged with causing serious bodily injury to a child, a first degree felony, and Jamie Popovic, 30, was charged with abandoning/endangering a child, a state jail felony."

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?

The documents describe extensive evidence of substance use by the father/caregiver. The NBC DFW article states: "Responding officers reportedly noticed the apartment appeared to be dirty and had a strong odor of marijuana." Officers found "several blue and white pills, including a blue pill described as an M30 pill on the floor" that tested positive for fentanyl, "drug paraphernalia, including baggies and a syringe on a coffee table." The WFAA article adds: "police also found a scale near marijuana, as well as white pills, cash and baggies used to store the marijuana." Popovic also stated she "had seen blue and white pills lying around the apartment."

Notable Details

Several notable details emerge from the text. First, Reed attempted to obtain the opioid-reversal drug naloxone via the DoorDash food delivery app rather than calling 911, which the NBC DFW article states: "Reed attempted to have the 'overdose-reversal drug Naloxne (sic) delivered via a Door Dash' app." Second, Reed explicitly prevented others from calling 911 due to fear of child protective services: he "warned his roommate and his sister to not call the police fearing CPS involvement and that he 'would lose his kids.'" Third, there is a notable discrepancy in the charges between the two sources — Document 1 describes Reed's charges as "failure to seek help and failure to safeguard fentanyl" while Document 2 describes the charge as "causing serious bodily injury to a child, a first degree felony," suggesting possible charge updates or different reporting of the same charges. Fourth, both suspects bonded out of jail despite the child's death.

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