Las Vegas, NV – A 3-year-old girl was hospitalized after overdosing on fentanyl, prompting the arrest of her mother who allegedly traveled to Mexico multiple times to purchase the illicit drug.

According to the 8 News Now Investigators, Las Vegas Metro police responded to an apartment on September 28th following a report of a child who was not breathing. Paramedics administered Narcan, an opioid overdose antidote, which successfully revived the child. Subsequent toxicology tests revealed the presence of fentanyl in the child’s system.

The child’s mother, Ashley Richardson, admitted to police that she had traveled to Mexico several times in recent months to obtain fentanyl pills. Richardson explained that the cost of fentanyl in the local area was too high, leading her to make the decision to purchase the drug directly from Mexico.

Richardson told authorities that she typically stored the pills in a bag that was kept out of her daughter’s reach. However, on this occasion, the bag was inadvertently left on the floor, potentially allowing the child access to the pills.

At the time of Richardson’s arrest, police were unable to determine definitively how the child ingested the fentanyl. Richardson faces one charge of child abuse or neglect resulting in substantial bodily harm.

Judge Amy Ferreira of Las Vegas Justice Court released Richardson on her own recognizance, requiring her to comply with all directives from Child Protective Services. A future court date has yet to be determined.

The Southern Nevada Health District reported that eight children under the age of 18 died from drug overdoses involving fentanyl in Clark County in 2022. Overall, 236 individuals died from fentanyl overdoses in the county that year. In 2023, the number of fentanyl overdose deaths in Clark County rose to 302, representing a 28% increase from the previous year.

This tragic incident highlights the dangers of fentanyl and the importance of preventing children from accessing this deadly drug.

Source: 8 News Now