Minneapolis mother charged with causing 1-year-old’s fentanyl-related death

A Minneapolis woman has now been charged in connection to her one-year-old’s death earlier this year.

Charging documents filed Monday show that 29-year-old Sandy Vilaihong is facing second-degree manslaughter for her baby’s death.

Minneapolis police were called to Vilaihong’s home on Feb. 23 on a report of a baby not breathing, according to court documents. Medics arrived and started CPR but the child died at the scene.

A criminal complaint notes that the child’s father was angry, yelling at Vilaihong, who responded, “I know it’s my fault.”

She later told police that she’d bought around 20 pills that she believed likely were fentanyl the night before, took 15 of them and put the rest in her bra just before bed, the complaint states. Then, she went to bed with the child next to her and believed the child consumed the pills that were on her.

She added that the baby’s father was so angry because he’d told her to stop doing drugs.

Officers found fentanyl inside the home and a medical examiner confirmed the child died from fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl toxicity, the charging documents state.

Vilaihong isn’t currently in custody but is scheduled to make her first court appearance on Aug. 24. If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in prison.