Missouri – In a heartbreaking incident out of Missouri, a mother’s attempt to alleviate her daughter’s pain with pills that had been bought on the street has led to grave consequences. The 35-year-old mother, identified as J. Powers, faces charges of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death after administering a lethal dose of fentanyl to her 14-year-old daughter, mistakenly believing it was oxycodone.
The incident, which unfolded last month, has left the community and authorities in dismay. Court documents reveal that on October 3, 2024, the young victim, referred to only as “VT” in court filings, complained of toothache. In response, Powers reportedly gave her daughter a pill she found in a drawer, which she claimed to have obtained from a surgery she had undergone previously. Unfortunately, about 10 hours later, the teenager was found dead, a victim of a fentanyl overdose—an autopsy confirmed no trace of oxycodone in her system.
The police department’s investigation into the incident revealed a troubling sequence of decisions made by Powers. According to the probable cause affidavit, Powers admitted to police that she had previously traded her prescription oxycodone with her mother for pills that her mother had bought on the street. She kept these pills in a drawer, mistakenly giving one to her daughter that fatal day. This misjudgment stemmed from her intent to “protect” her mother from the dangers of street-bought drugs, an irony that ended in tragedy.
Further complicating the matter, police discovered other street drugs in Powers’ residence, alongside other minor children, which could potentially lead to more charges or investigations. Following the issuance of an arrest warrant, Powers was apprehended at her home. She is now detained at the county’s jail with a bond set at $150,000 cash-only. Her court proceedings are scheduled to continue with a bond hearing on November 19 and a preliminary hearing on December 11.
Captain J. Morgan expressed his dismay over the incident, stating, “This is tragic. This shouldn’t happen. She’s 14 and had a lot of years to look forward to.” The case not only highlights the severe risks associated with drug misuse but also underscores the profound responsibility parents hold in safeguarding their children’s health and welfare.
This incident serves as a grim reminder of the opioid crisis’s reach and its potential to devastate lives, even in attempts to provide relief from something as mundane as a toothache. The community and the victim’s family are left to mourn a young life cut tragically short, while the legal system navigates the complexities of a case wrapped in good intentions but marred by fatal oversight.
