Maple Plain mother charged in child’s fentanyl overdose death

A Maple Plain woman has been charged after authorities say her 6-year-old died from a fentanyl overdose.

Police were called to a home in Maple Plain on May 27 and found a 6-year-old seizing and not breathing, court documents state. First responders attempted life-saving measures but the child was pronounced dead at the scene. The child’s death was later determined to have been caused by acute fentanyl toxicity.

The child’s mother, 29-year-old Brittany Elizabeth Ferrell, is now charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection to the child’s death.

Ferrell told police she woke up and found the child had vomited and wasn’t breathing so she called 911 and attempted CPR, court documents state. The child’s father added that he gave the child Narcan but it didn’t help.

According to a criminal complaint, the father told officers he saw a dollar bill that may have had drug residue on it around the child’s mouth.

Ferrell then told investigators she’d used fentanyl that was supposed to be heroin within the past 48 hours and the child somehow got ahold of the bill that was used, the complaint states.

Ferrell wasn’t in custody as of Friday but is due to appear in court for the first time on Nov. 15.

If convicted, Ferrell faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.