St. Paul woman charged with manslaughter in 1-year-old’s death from fentanyl

The mother of a 1-year-old who died last year in St. Paul is now facing felony charges in connection to her child’s death.

On Monday, prosecutors filed two counts of manslaughter against 20-year-old Tessa Jean Vorlicky, accusing her of neglecting and endangering her child, leading to the baby’s death.

Police were called to a home along Toronto Street in the West Seventh neighborhood of St. Paul on the night of Dec. 1, 2023. Court documents state that the caller reported a 1-year-old not breathing and Vorlicky was heard in the background yelling about Narcan. When the dispatcher asked why the child needed Narcan, the caller said the baby had gotten into drugs.

While Narcan was administered to the child, who was then taken to a hospital, she was declared brain dead on Dec. 5. The autopsy results later showed the child died from fentanyl toxicity, and a folded metal foil was recovered from her colon.

Vorlicky’s mother told officers that the child seemed fine earlier in the day and thought Vorlicky and the girl were asleep when she returned home. However, the child’s father later ran downstairs saying the girl wasn’t breathing as Vorlicky insisted on giving her Narcan, which Vorlicky’s mother said she thought was telling.

Vorlicky’s mother added that she frequently finds drug residue and burnt tinfoil around the home, according to a criminal complaint. When officers searched the home, they found dog feces on the floor, baggies of suspected drugs and burnt tinfoil in Vorlicky’s bedroom. They searched it again a few days later and reported finding 50 pieces of crumpled tinfoil with drug residue, loose pills in and on top of a dresser, cut straws, plastic baggies, a glass pipe and 28 more pieces of crumpled tinfoil with residue in another drawer. Several items later tested positive for fentanyl.

According to the charging documents, Vorlicky said she swallowed a Percocet that morning and later smoked meth in the hallway, then took a nap around noon with the child next to her. She awoke when the child’s father yelled for Vorlicky’s mother, saying the girl wasn’t breathing.

The documents also note that the girl was exposed to drugs when Vorlicky was pregnant with her and a hold was placed on the child when she was born because Vorlicky allegedly used fentanyl at the hospital while in labor.

Vorlicky faces up to 10 years in prison on each count.

The child’s father, 26-year-old Derrick Harrison, is also charged via warrant with child endangerment, which carries up to five years in jail. He told investigators that he and Vorlicky were separated for over a year but he tried to check on the child several times per week. The complaint notes that he told investigators he should’ve gotten the child into a better situation.