Harrison Township Woman Faces Assault and Child Endangerment Charges after Child Hospitalized from Fentanyl Exposure

Police – Accident – Death – Obituary News : A Harrison Township Woman Faces Assault and Child Endangerment Charges Following Child’s Exposure to Fentanyl

In a shocking incident, a woman from Harrison Township, Allegheny County, is now facing assault and child endangerment charges after her 11-month-old child was hospitalized due to exposure to fentanyl. According to Allegheny County Police, the child was suspected of ingesting opioids and was rushed to UPMC Hospital in August. At the time of admission, the child was unresponsive, but medical professionals were able to revive the infant using multiple doses of Narcan. Subsequent blood tests revealed the presence of both fentanyl and cocaine in the child’s system.

As detectives dug deeper into the case, they discovered that Lenae Mills, a 29-year-old woman and the child’s mother, was with the infant in the basement of a Harrison Township residence when she noticed the child chewing on something. It was later revealed that the item in question was a piece of “cotton” used by Mills during her past heroin injections. Shockingly, during a search of the home, law enforcement officials found numerous “cottons” and other drug paraphernalia scattered throughout the basement. These dangerous items were intermingled with ordinary objects that a child might play with, such as crayons, silicone wristbands, and hair ties.

Mills was apprehended on Monday in Butler County and has been charged with felony aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Currently, she is being held in the Butler County Jail as she awaits extradition to Allegheny County to face her charges.

The alarming incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact that drug addiction can have on individuals and their families. The presence of fentanyl, an extremely potent opioid, in the child’s system highlights the dangers associated with opioid abuse and the potentially fatal consequences it can have, even for innocent bystanders like young children.

Authorities are urging individuals struggling with drug addiction to seek help and support from available resources. They stress the importance of creating a safe environment for children and ensuring that drugs and drug-related paraphernalia are kept out of their reach.

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