Asbury Park Woman Indicted In Fatal Overdose Of Her Toddler Son

ASBURY PARK, NJ — This past January, a two-year-old boy died in Asbury Park after he accidentally ingested heroin and fentanyl.

Now on Monday, the Monmouth County Prosecutor announced the boy's mother has been indicted on charges related to his death.

Quanique Smith, 26, is charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, two counts of second-degree child endangerment, drug charges and hindering her own arrest. She was indicted Thursday by a Monmouth County grand jury.

Shortly after 1 a.m. on Thursday, January 5, Asbury Park Police responded to a 911 call from an apartment complex on the 100 block of Langford Street, for a call of an unresponsive child.

The toddler was rushed to a local hospital, where — despite lifesaving efforts — he was pronounced deceased shortly before 2 a.m. He died of a drug overdose.

Police say quantities of heroin and fentanyl had been left in the family’s home within reach of the 2-year-old and his 5-year-old sibling. The toddler ingested the drugs that directly caused his death, said Prosecutor Raymond Santiago.

Police say the drugs belonged to their mother.

Smith was arrested later that same day. If convicted, she is facing up to 35 years in prison.

Anyone with information about this matter is still asked to contact MCPO Detective Stephen Cavendish at 800-533-7443 or Asbury Park Detective Anthony Houlis at 732-502-4582.

This case was assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Stephanie Dugan.

Smith represented by Allison Friedman. Unrelatedly, Friedman is a public defender in Monmouth County and she has run as a Democrat for state Legislature in the past.