A mother from Northern California pleaded no contest to child abuse. Tragically, her son ingested fentanyl that she had left in his crib, resulting in his untimely death on his first birthday from a fentanyl overdose last year, according to prosecutors.
A 40-year-old woman from Durham, Christy Ann Scarbrough, pleaded no contest in Butte Superior Court to a charge of child abuse. It was revealed that she allowed the child to experience unnecessary pain or injury, which tragically resulted in the boy’s death.
A tragic incident occurred on July 6, 2023, when Scarbrough discovered her son unresponsive and in a critical condition in his crib, as reported by the Butte County District Attorney’s Office. She brought him to Enloe Medical Center, where he was declared deceased.
A straw filled with fentanyl was found in the boy’s crib. According to prosecutors, an autopsy revealed that the baby had an unusually large amount of fentanyl in his gastric acid, suggesting that he had ingested the drug.
Prosecutors stated that Scarbrough, who admitted to using fentanyl, has a prior conviction for child abuse. A woman has been sentenced to prison after her 7-week-old daughter tested positive for methamphetamine. Fortunately, the baby did not suffer any significant physical harm, according to the release.
Prosecutors stated that the girl was taken out of Scarbrough’s custody.
Scarbrough’s sentencing is set for September 12th as reported by SacBee.