KENNER, La. — Authorities say a Kenner mother is in custody after her 20-month-old baby died and tests later revealed that the child had Fentanyl in their system.
According to the Kenner Police Department, officers responded to a home on Dec. 31 after getting reports that a child had stopped breathing. Officers were unable to revive the child, and they were pronounced dead.
The police department said detectives conducted a preliminary test on the child's nasal mucus that indicated the presence of Fentanyl. A search warrant was conducted at the home and police say small amounts of drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in the bedroom where the child slept.
"It's no longer an uncommon occurrence," Capt. Michael Cunningham with Kenner PD said. "It's very common now to go on scene where there is drug use and we find children in there."
Police say drug residue in the bedroom tested positive for Fentanyl and toxicology reports from an autopsy later confirmed that there were "significant levels" of Fentanyl in the child's system.
"The way it was describe to us, it was enough Fentanyl to kill an adult," Cunningham said.
An arrest warrant was issued for the child's mother, 34-year-old Alexis Callero of Kenner, La. On Thursday, Callero was arrested and booked on charges of second-degree murder, second-degree cruelty to juveniles, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of heroin.
A woman identifying herself as the child's aunt identified the victim as 1-year-old Leo Vincent Callero.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Kenner Police at 504-712-2222 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at (504) 822-1111.
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