Baby Girl Revived Twice After Fentanyl Exposure

The New England opioid epidemic nearly claimed the life of a baby girl who needed to be revived twice Saturday, authorities said.

The 10-month-old Methuen girl had been exposed to fentanyl, tests showed. She is now in stable condition.

Methuen Police said in a release that they responded to a call of a child not breathing shortly before 12:30 p.m. Saturday at a Treetop Way residence. First responders treated the baby and transported her to Lawrence General Hospital, where she twice stopped breathing and needed to be revived. The baby was flown to Tufts Medical for more treatment and is now in state custody.

It is unknown how the drug got into the baby's system. No charges have been filed.

It's the latest heartbreaking news out of a Merrimack Valley region that has been hit especially hard by the drug epidemic that has strangled New England.

"The opioid epidemic knows no boundaries," Methuen Mayor Stephen Zanni said. "We must continue to be vigilant in ensuring that children do not have access to harmful substances and to do everything we can to fight the disease of addiction."

This incident is being investigated by the Methuen Police Department and Massachusetts State Police Detectives.

“This is an extremely unfortunate situation in which a dangerous drug has ended up in the wrong hands and placed a baby’s life in danger,” Methuen Police Chief Joseph E. Solomon said. “Our main goal now is to find out how this substance ended up in the child’s system.”

Police said they have recovered about $1.2 million in fentanyl in an unrelated arrest.

Related

Methuen Fentanyl Bust: $1M+ of Drugs Seized

Image via Shutterstock