Grandmother Jailed After Infant Grandson Ingests Heroin, Dies

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Anne Arundel County grandmother Laurie Taylor was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges relating to the death of her infant grandson. The 9-month-old child, Niyear Taylor, died after ingesting heroin and fentanyl, Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said.

Laurie Taylor, 44, plead guilty to manslaughter and second-degree child abuse on Friday. The prosecution dropped the five other charges against her: two more counts of child abuse and three counts of reckless endangerment.

The Curtis Bay woman's sentence is technically 25 years, but she is only slated to serve 10. The manslaughter charge warrants a decade of prison time. The second-degree child abuse charge wields a 15-year sentence, but that entire term was suspended. The grandmother will be eligible for supervised probation in five years.

"The death of this innocent baby due to the reckless behavior of his family members is beyond unconscionable," Colt Leitess said in a press release.

On July 26, 2019, Laurie Taylor, her 17-year-old daughter who was the mother of the baby, and another daughter drove into Baltimore to buy heroin, a report from the state's attorney says. Laurie Taylor notes that she bought four capsules of the drug for $20. The trio divided the doses evenly, according to the report.

After returning home, the bunch realized one of the capsules was missing. The report claims that Laurie Taylor and Niyear Taylor's mother returned to the city to buy a replacement, leaving the infant with his aunt.

The baby woke up crying, screaming and wheezing, the state's attorney alleges. Laurie Taylor said she and the child's mother contemplated taking him to the hospital. They ultimately decided against it and went to sleep.

The next morning, the Anne Arundel County Police Department responded to the scene in the 7900 block of Chesapeake Drive where the infant was unresponsive. Medics took Niyear Taylor to the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

“The defendant and her daughter chose to purchase the heroin, use heroin and then fail to get medical help for nine-month-old Niyear after he had ingested their heroin which directly led to his death," Colt Leitess said. "Their actions show how addiction does not only affect the users but can fatally impact the most vulnerable in our household."

An autopsy found fentanyl and morphine in the baby's blood, liver and stomach. A toxicology test ruled that the child ingested heroin and fentanyl. The report says death was a homicide and that the fentanyl ultimately took Niyear Taylor's life.

An Aug. 14, 2019 search of the home found 100 empty capsules and powdery substance in every room of the residence, including in the infant's diaper bag. That dust contained traces of heroin and fentanyl.

"We should forever mourn the untimely loss of Niyear," Colt Leitess said.

Anne Arundel County has resourced for residents battling opioid abuse. Locals can call the Department of Health at (410) 222-7095 or visit a Safe Station.

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