The mother and father of a youngster who previously overdosed on fentanyl have been taken into custody after the boy reportedly experienced a second overdose from ingesting their drugs.
39-year-old Donald Ray Little, Jr. and 27-year-old Mary Ashley Willis live in Berkeley County, South Carolina, and they have a 1-year-old son.
On March 17, the family was reportedly staying in a motel in Columbia.
When Little and Willis woke up, they found that the toddler was not responsive, and he appeared as if he had labored breathing.
Willis and Little rushed their child to the police department next door to the motel, and he was taken to a local hospital by an emergency medical team.
The hospital performed tests to check for possible sources of the child’s condition, and it was reported that the blood drawn revealed Fentanyl in his bloodstream.
The authorities asserted that the toddler was able to get ahold of the drugs because his parents left them within his reach while he was unattended. They also learned that he had experienced a similar emergency in the family’s hometown.
Little is facing charges for suspicion of unlawful neglect of a child, possession of a schedule I controlled substance and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. He is being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond.
Willis is expected to be charged for unlawful neglect of a child. Her bond was also set at $100,000.
The boy was reported as healthy and happy. While spending his first birthday in the hospital, several members of the community familiar with the incident left gifts for him to enjoy.
He is currently in the custody of the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
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.