Woman Charged In Overdose Death Of 12-Year-Old Girl In Fort Lee: Bergen County Prosecutor

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A 48-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the drug overdose death of a 12-year-old girl in Fort Lee on Saturday, prosecutors said Sunday.

Frances Caso, 48, of Fort Lee, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, possession of controlled dangerous substances, and possession of drug paraphernalia, said Bergen County prosecutors.

On Saturday, May 25, 2024, the Fort Lee police responded to a 911 call at approximately 3:34 p.m. reporting an unresponsive 12-year-old at a home on Maple Street.

The girl was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead.

"Indicators of a possible drug overdose were noted and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office was notified," prosecutors said.

Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit, Narcotic Task Force, and Special Victims Unit initiated a joint
investigation with the Fort Lee Police Department into the death of the child and the related drug activity.

Three Other Kids Present

They determined that Caso was present in the home around the time of the suspected overdose, as were three other juveniles.

A court-authorized search of the home "revealed multiple suspected controlled dangerous substances and paraphernalia used to ingest controlled dangerous substances," prosecutors said.

Caso was taken to the Bergen County Jail for a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.

"The investigation into the fatal dose of narcotics ingested by the victim is ongoing," prosecutors said. "No additional information will be released while the investigation remains underway."