Twins who had just turned 3 die after fentanyl exposure, CA officials say. Mom charged
Fentanyl exposure led to the death of twin boys days after their 3rd birthday, and now their mother is facing charges, California prosecutors say.
Jestice James, 22, was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of child abuse/endangerment in relation to her toddler sons’ “fentanyl-related deaths,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a July 16 news release.
“These innocent boys reportedly came into contact with fentanyl, an opioid that has wreaked havoc across our communities,” District Attorney George Gascón said in the release. “This tragedy is part of a disturbing trend where babies and toddlers are increasingly becoming victims of the opioid crisis.”
James found her twin boys unresponsive in Canoga Park the morning of July 11, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a July 12 news release.
Paramedics provided the boys “life-saving measures” before they were taken to a hospital, police said.
One of the boys was pronounced dead at the hospital, two days after his 3rd birthday, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner records show.
The second boy was in critical condition but died at the hospital on Saturday, July 13, an LAPD spokesperson told McClatchy News in a July 16 phone interview.
The two boys died after they were “exposed to drugs laced with fentanyl,” the district attorney’s office said.
James is being held on $4 million bail, prosecutors said, adding that she expected to appear in court on July 16.
The mother could face life in prison if she is convicted of all charges, prosecutors said.
Los Angeles police are continuing to investigate the case, according to prosecutors.
This story was originally published July 16, 2024 at 3:30 PM with the headline "Twins who had just turned 3 die after fentanyl exposure, CA officials say. Mom charged."
