‘People Pleaser’ Said She Had to Give ‘Dope Sick’ Mom-to-Be Injection: Docs

CONCORD, NH — A multi-month investigation into whether or not a woman injected a pregnant friend with heroin have led to reduced charges against both women after heroin was not found in either the mother or her sixth children, according to WMUR-TV. Last week, according to the report, felony reckless conduct charges against Rhianna Frenette and Felicia Farruggia were reduced to misdemeanors after a defense attorney argued that since no heroin was found in either Farruggia, 29, of Concord, or her baby boy during the investigation, the charges should be reduced.

Editor’s Note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord District Court and Concord Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

However, court affidavits alleged that Concord Hospital staffers claimed that drugs – specifically, methamphetamine and amphetamine – were found in her and her child’s systems.

Both Frenette, 37, of Belmont, and Farruggia were arrested earlier this month after detectives began an investigation into a claim that Farruggia allegedly requested Frenette to inject her while she was in labor.

Concord Fire and Rescue teams, according to reports, arrived on Elmwood Avenue on Sept. 15, 2016, to assist with the labor and Farruggia reportedly gave birth to a boy – her sixth child – in the ambulance outside of the home.

According to court documents, on Sept. 16, 2016, an officer and detective were sent to Concord Hospital to investigate "a past-tense overdose" after EMTs reportedly delivered Narcan to Farruggia at the home and helped her give birth.

They interviewed a witness who stated that he was living at the home with Farruggia and a number of “drug users/dealers.” She was reportedly having contractions on the night in question and was curled up on the floor “screaming in pain and begging for heroin,” according to the affidavit.

Frenette, he alleged, sat with Farruggia and, at one point, was reportedly holding a syringe to inject her when he demanded that she stop, according to the court documents. The witness then called 911 and firefighters arrived at the scene to administer Narcan, he reportedly stated.

Investigators also spoke with Farruggia, who was in stable condition at the hospital, and reportedly stated she was having contractions but couldn’t get comfortable. She reportedly stated that had taken Subutex earlier in the day and described herself as a “chronic drug user, having used for more than 50 percent of her pregnancy,” according to the report.

“Felicia said that if anyone put drugs in front of her, regardless of what they were, she would take them,” according to the affidavit.

In the affidavit, Farruggia allegedly stated she was a “target” by others in the drug den because people “judged her for using” while pregnant.

Farruggia reportedly stated that she went into the bathroom while having her contractions, laid on the floor, and asked Frenette to assist her. She allegedly admitted to crying and screaming and stated there was chaos in the bathroom. Frenette – Farruggia alleged – had heroin, said it would “take the edge off,” and injected her.

“Felicia said she was unsure if she asked for heroin, but knew she didn’t stop Rhianna from injecting her,” according to the affidavit.

Frenette allegedly injected her in the arm once but it wouldn’t take because she was having a contraction. She then allegedly pulled the needle out until the contraction passed and injected her a second time, according to the affidavit. Farruggia pointed to two track marks on her forearm.

“Her arms appeared to be littered with injection sites,” the detective alleged.

The detective then spoke to hospital staffers who stated that the boy was stable and breathing on his own but there were complications including very rapid breathing, according to the report.

“I was told this could have been caused by a number of things to include the methamphetamine in the baby’s system,” she alleged, “the mother’s heroin use, or that the baby was born ‘en caul,’ meaning inside the amniotic sac.”

Hospital staff alleged that the child and Farruggia’s urine tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine, according to the affidavit.

Detectives then met with Frenette who reportedly stated that Farruggia was in the bathroom and very hostile but eventually allowed her into the room. She stated that Farruggia was in "full blow labor" and allegedly “mutilating herself with the needle,” while attempting to shoot up, “freaking out and screaming,” according to the affidavit. Frenette – who described herself as a “people person” – allegedly stated that Farruggia was “dope sick” and wouldn’t go to the hospital. She reportedly countered, “you’re not going to let us call the ambulance until that’s in your body?” Farruggia allegedly replied, “Yes,” so she reportedly gave her the injection, according to the affidavit.

“Rhianna acknowledged that what she did was wrong,” the detective wrote, “but believed Felicia would have injected herself with a significant amount of heroin if she had not intervened. Rhianna also said she, herself, was likely high on methamphetamine at the time.”

The detective also spoke to a paramedic at the scene who stated that Farruggia was in a lot of pain and discomfort when firefighters arrived. The home, he alleged, was “messy” and not suitable to treat her. Crew members removed her on a stretcher, placed her in the ambulance, and she delivered the baby as she was being placed inside it, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit was filed on March 7.