Jacksonville baby dies of fentanyl poisoning, second suspect in custody

ActionNewsJax.com News Staff
·2 min read
1

A second suspect has been arrested in connection to the death of a 20-month-old baby who police say died of fentanyl intoxication.

Tyeon Ford, 23, was arrested March 5 during a traffic stop on Old Middleburg Road.

Carlida Miller, 32, was arrested on Feb. 27. Both suspects are charged with manslaughter and evidence tampering.

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Charged with manslaughter and evidence tampering
Charged with manslaughter and evidence tampering

Read: Fight against Fentanyl

The baby died in December at a local hospital.

According to a study by the nonprofit, Families Against Fentanyl, fentanyl deaths among children are on the rise.

The study showed that children younger than 14 are dying of fentanyl poisoning at a faster rate than any other age group.

Action News Jax spoke with Mike McCormick with the Florida Poison Control Center.

Read: Bill to exclude fentanyl test strips from drug paraphernalia

While the Poison Control Center isn’t working this case, McCormick told us it only takes a little bit of fentanyl to kill anybody. An amount the size of the tip of a pen can do it.

“It takes just two milliliters of fentanyl on average to kill a person, and that’s a full-size person,” he said.

“They (opioids) hit a receptor in the brain and it tells your body that everything is okay. So much so, that your lungs stop working,” he said.

Miller’s arrest report confirmed that she and Ford are the victim’s parents.

The report also said Ford admitted to having drugs in the house and keeping them within reach of children.

After the child died, and the couple left the hospital, police say they returned to their house and got rid of any drug evidence.

Miller is expected to appear in court March 22, and Ford is expected in court March 28.

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