A mom from Louisiana has been charged with second-degree murder after admitting to taking drugs before breastfeeding her 4-day-old baby, which resulted in the infant's death.
Lana Cristina, 28, allegedly confessed to authorities that she had previously taken drugs. According to Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto, Cristina's daughter died on June 10, but the mother is now being prosecuted following the findings of an autopsy and other forensic tests.
The mother admitted using fentanyl before breastfeeding her baby
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office says deputies were dispatched to a medical emergency at a hotel in Harvey on June 10 at 3:40 a.m. The victim was taken to the hospital by first responders, where she was declared dead. Authorities did not immediately release the name of the baby, Fox News via MSN reported.
The infant died of acute fentanyl toxicity, according to autopsy and toxicology findings. Authorities claim Cristina admitted to using narcotics before nursing her daughter at some period. Cristina has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of her baby.
The heroin that murdered her friend Amber Hollis, 23, in 2013 was given by the Louisiana mother. Cristina was sentenced to five years in jail the following year after pleading guilty to negligent murder in Hollis' death. Prosecutors, on the other hand, agreed on a lower charge when bringing the case. Cristina was found guilty of negligent murder and was sentenced to five years in jail, as per Crime Online.
According to jail records, Cristina is being detained on a $400,000 bail for the murder accusation and a $500 bond for each of the two lesser counts. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) claims fentanyl is dangerous even in tiny dosages, and synthetic opioids are the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States.
NIH said fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It's frequently combined with other drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, and MDMA, resulting in fatal overdoses in people who aren't even aware they're using it.
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Drug overdose, fatality on the rise
Opioid-related fatalities are on the rise. LDH recorded more than 400 fatalities in 2018, according to the Department of Health. After a year, the number of deaths had risen by 25% to 588.
Fentanyl is fast becoming the primary cause of opioid-related fatalities, according to the LDH. Since 2014, fentanyl-related fatalities had surged by 1,400 percent in 2019. In 2019, there were 55 overdose deaths in Lafayette Parish, with 25 of them having fentanyl in their system. There were 83 overdose deaths in 2020, with 50 of those having fentanyl in their system.
Per KATC, fentanyl is rapidly becoming the primary cause of opioid-related fatalities, according to the LDH. Since 2014, fentanyl-related fatalities have surged by 1,400 percent. There were 55 overdose deaths in Lafayette Parish, with 25 of them having fentanyl in their system in 2019. There were 83 overdose deaths in 2020, with 50 of those having fentanyl in their body.
Acadiana Harm Reduction's founder, Kady Douglas, is no stranger to addiction. She states she overdosed in 2017 but was rescued by Narcan, an opioid-blocking medication. However, that didn't stop her from using heroin and methamphetamine again.
Douglas has been clean for more than three years. She established Acadiana Harm Reduction a year ago, intending to decrease the overdose fatality rate by providing free Narcan, fentanyl testing strips, and other supplies to users. Call 211 if you or someone you know needs help.
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