It’s been the driving force of drug overdoses over the last seven years: fentanyl. In Miami-Dade alone, more than 1,300 people have died from an overdose involving the drug since 2018 with a spike at the height of the pandemic. NBC6’s Laura Rodriguez reports
A South Florida couple accused of dealing fentanyl are facing charges following an investigation into an infant's 2022 overdose death, authorities said.
Samantha Yi, 32, and Darnell Mendez, 31, both of Lake Worth, were arrested on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and a charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death for Yi, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a Friday news release.
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According to the release, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies had responded to a 911 call of an infant in distress on March 31, 2022, and found a 10-month-old who'd ingested fentanyl.
The infant was taken to a hospital in Boynton beach , then transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, where she died on April 5, 2022.
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An autopsy from the medical examiner determined the baby's death was caused by fentanyl intoxication and was ruled a homicide.
Investigators determined the baby's parents were drug addicts who had been abusing fentanyl regularly in their apartment, and when the apartment was searched fentanyl was found, authorities said.
It was also learned that the baby was teething and had ingested the fentanyl while in the care of her mother and while her father was at work.
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The mother was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration joined the investigation as authorities worked to identify the dealers who sold the fentanyl that killed the baby.
Investigators identified Yi as the dealer and found months of electronic communications exchanged between YI and the mother involving drug transactions, authorities said.
It was discovered that the mother had purchased Fentanyl from Yi on March 30, the day before the baby ingested the deadly drug, authorities said.
Yi’s boyfriend, Mendez, was also found to be involved in the distribution of fentanyl, officials said.
Authorities conducted an undercover operation to purchase fentanyl from Yi and Mendez, which led to their arrests Wednesday at their home in Lake Worth.
Yi and Mendez, who are both convicted felons, had 14 firearms in their home at the time of their arrests, officials said.
Mendez has a history of controlled substance and violent crime offenses and may qualify as a career criminal, authorities said.
In court Thursday, prosecutors sought the pretrial detention of both YI and Mendez, arguing that the couple is believed to be a risk of flight and danger to the community. they're due back in court next week.
If convicted, Yi faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years to a maximum sentence of life, while Mendez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
