Crime & Safety
Child Overdosed On Fentanyl In Stafford; Parents Charged: Police
A 2-year-old child overdosed on fentanyl in Stafford County on Sunday, authorities said. The parents now face criminal charges.
STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A 2-year-old boy overdosed on fentanyl on Sunday in Stafford, the county sheriff's office said. The child's parents are now facing criminal charges.
On Tuesday, the child was still receiving treatment at an area hospital. The Stafford County Sheriff's Office expects him to make a full recovery.
Authorities identified the boy's parents as 27-year-old Mark Cole and 25-year-old Tabitha Williams. They were arrested on Monday.
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Cole is charged with felony child abuse, possession of controlled substances, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. Williams is charged with felony child abuse, possession of controlled substances, possession of a firearm while in possession of controlled substances, and obstruction of justice.
Williams and Cole are both being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
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Just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, first responders were called to a home on Thomas Jefferson Place for a choking child. A Stafford deputy performed first aid before an ambulance arrived.
"While he was informed the child was choking on a hash brown, Deputy Waheed observed signs consistent with someone who would be overdosing," the sheriff's office said in a report.
After an ambulance took the child to an area hospital, Child Protective Services reached out the the sheriff's office. Hospital staff had told authorities that the child was not choking; he overdosed. Medical personnel found fentanyl, THC, and cannabinoids in the child's system.
Detectives acquired a warrant and searched the home that Cole and Williams lived in with the child on Monday. Investigators said they found fentanyl and two handguns. One of the firearms was in the child's bedroom.
The sheriff's office noted that more charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration operates a 24/7 hotline for people struggling with addiction at 1-800-662-4357.
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