Prosecutor: Mother bought $1,200 in fentanyl with stimulus check prior to child's OD death
When 2-year-old Jaxson Vogt died in March 2021, he had more than 10 times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system, prosecutors said in court.
The boy's mother, 35-year-old Lauren Baker, is facing charges of murder, importing fentanyl and trafficking in a controlled substance. Prosecutors said Jaxson died after consuming fentanyl he found in his mother's purse.
Baker's trial began Wednesday before Kenton County Circuit Judge Kate Molloy. It's expected to continue into next week.
On March 13, 2021, Baker went to Cincinnati to buy fentanyl with money from her federal stimulus check, according to a police report. She then returned to Northern Kentucky with $1,200 worth of fentanyl and gave quantities of the drug to two other people, including the child's father, prosecutors said.
Baker admitted that, five days later, she "took a shot" of fentanyl prior to taking a nap with Jaxson at their home on Stokesay Avenue in Ludlow, Kentucky, the report states. When she woke up the contents of her purse, including the drugs, were scattered and Jaxson was lying unresponsive on the bed.
The toddler was transported to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center where he was later declared dead.
Prosecutors said Baker was aware fentanyl is deadly, but brought it into her home regardless, adding she also knew Jaxson could get into her paraphernalia. Just a year earlier, according to prosecutors, the toddler got ahold of a burnt spoon Baker used to heat fentanyl.
"She knew the risk it posed to Jaxson, she knows the risk of fentanyl and she did it anyways," said Kenton County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Maria Schletker. "And her choice − choosing herself over her 2-year-old son − that resulted in his death."
Baker had a system for storing her fentanyl and she took substantial precautions to keep opioids out of her children's reach, John Beaulieu, Baker's public defender, said in court Wednesday.
Beaulieu said Baker, upon noticing that Jaxson was unresponsive, immediately administered Narcan and performed CPR until first responders arrived. He said Baker was grief-stricken and inconsolable when police reached the home.
At the time of Jaxson's death, Baker was receiving treatment at a methadone clinic because she suffered from opioid use disorder, he added.
"Lauren Baker is not a murderer," Beaulieu said. "Despite Lauren's flaws, she still loved her son."
Baker requested court remove county's top prosecutor from trial
Court records show Baker tried to have Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders disqualified from prosecuting the case at trial and asked the court to instead appoint a special prosecutor.
Sanders led the questioning during Baker's roughly two-hour interrogation at the Ludlow Police Department, Beaulieu said in court filings.
Baker claimed Sanders secured a Miranda waiver before the interrogation but didn't identify himself as the commonwealth's attorney, nor did he verbally read her Miranda rights prior to questioning. She also said Sanders improperly encouraged her to submit to a blood draw after the interview.
Molloy denied Baker's motions to disqualify Sanders, the county's top prosecutor, from the trial and suppress evidence from the interrogation.
In a September ruling, Molloy said Sanders isn't a material witness because the interrogation was recorded and a Ludlow police detective, who was present for the interview, can testify if necessary.
Molloy said in a separate ruling that the recorded interview "fails to show any deception or coercion on the part of" Sanders, adding Baker took several minutes to read the Miranda waiver, acknowledging that she understood what she was signing.
Prosecutors have said Baker faces a possible sentence of 20 to 50 years or life in prison on the murder charge. The other charges each carry a possible sentence of 5 to 10 years in prison.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mom accused of buying drugs with stimulus check before child's OD death
