A Florida woman was arrested and charged after she allegedly allowed a 13-month-old child to overdose while in her home and care.
33-year-old Nicole Ciufi lives in an apartment in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida.
In the evening on May 15, Ciufi reportedly had a 13-month-old child at her apartment for whom she was providing care.
While they were alone with Ciufi the toddler allegedly got ahold of substances that were initially purported to be cocaine and the synthetic opioid Fentanyl, which is a pain reliever but also classified as a narcotic.
Ciufi reportedly checked on the youngster, and she said it looked like their breathing was labored, in addition to hearing what sounded like they were grinding their teeth.
At approximately 8:00 pm, Ciufi, whose relationship to the toddler has not been made public, called for an ambulance using the phone at the front desk of her residence so the child could be taken to the hospital for assessment.
The toddler was transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center where it was reportedly discovered that the cause of the symptoms was a drug overdose. Though a doctor at the hospital that was working with the child said that the initial drug test only showed positive results for cocaine, they suspected Fentanyl was also in the youngster’s system.
The child was given Narcan (naloxone), which is commonly used as a fast-acting aid in opiate overdoses, and the toddler was reported as responding well to the treatment almost immediately.
Ciufi was taken into custody and booked, and she is facing charges for suspicion of child neglect without great bodily harm.
Approximately 6-hours after her arrest Ciufi was released on a $1,000 surety bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a domestic violence offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.