Toddler dies after consuming sleeping mother’s fentanyl

A Kentucky mother has been charged with murder after her 2-year-old son ingested her fentanyl while she was sleeping.

First responders found the boy in respiratory distress when they responded to a call in Ludlow at about 3:300 Thursday afternoon. He was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

His mother, 33-year-old Lauren Ashley Baker, has been charged with murder, importing fentanyl, and trafficking in a controlled substance, according to Fox 19. She’s being held without bond.

Baker told police she got the fentanyl on Saturday from Cincinnati, using the money from the COVID stimulus check, and brought it back home to Ludlow, a police report says.

On Thursday, she “took a shot” of the drug and fell asleep. While she was sleeping, the toddler found the fentanyl in her purse and ingested some of it. When she awoke, she found the contents of the purse dumped out and her son not breathing.

The boy’s father arrived at called 911, the report says.

Police said Baker gave investigators some fentanyl from her purse, and detectives also found a substance believed to be fentanyl scattered on the bed. They also found empty Narcan packages on the scene.

Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders said said it’s unclear how the boy ingested the drug, but he noted that a 2-year-old touching the drug and putting his fingers in his mouth could be enough to kill him.

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[Featured image: Lauren Ashley Baker/Kenton County Jail]