Santa Rosa grandmother and mother arrested after baby poisoned

(KRON) — A Santa Rosa grandmother and her daughter were arrested by Santa Rosa detectives after an 11-month-old baby was poisoned by fentanyl, according to investigators. The baby girl recovered at a hospital and survived, police said.

Detectives believe that the baby was exposed to fentanyl around 7 p.m. Sunday at her grandmother’s apartment on Range Avenue in Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Police Department said.

The mother was identified by investigators as Shaylynne Watson, a 35-year-old resident of Lake County. The grandmother was identified by police as Beverly Hansel. Watson’s four young children range in ages from 11 months old to nine years old.

On Sunday, “Watson and the children were in the apartment with Watson’s mother, 54-year-old Beverly Hansel of Santa Rosa, for several hours. While the three older children were in another room with Hansel, the 11-month-old baby was on the floor of a bedroom with Watson nearby. At some point, the baby picked up a small, white substance that Watson feared may have been fentanyl,” the police department wrote.

After Watson alerted Hansel, the grandmother “immediately administered Narcan” for the baby to prevent a possible overdose, SRPD wrote. Neither woman called 911 to ask for medical aid, according to police.

The mother and grandmother monitored the baby for overdose symptoms before Watson left the apartment with all four of her children, SRPD said.

“Approximately five hours later, Watson brought the baby to an area hospital to be evaluated for the possible fentanyl exposure. A preliminary medical examination determined the baby had been exposed to fentanyl. The baby was not brought to the hospital until after midnight,” the police department wrote.

Police officers were called to the hospital at 3:40 a.m. Monday.

Detectives executed a search warrant at the grandmother’s apartment on Monday afternoon.

Numerous pieces of narcotics paraphernalia, methamphetamine, and black tar heroin were found inside the apartment. “Many items were located on the floor in the room where the baby had been crawling and on surfaces easily accessible by the children,” SRPD wrote. “Detectives concluded both Watson and Hansel were responsible for the baby’s fentanyl exposure.”

Detectives worked with Child Protective Services of Lake County, and the four children were removed from Watson’s custody by CPS.

Watson was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility for one count of felony child endangerment. Hansel was arrested and booked into MADF for child endangerment and drug charges.

Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid, up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. SRPD warns, “Even a tiny amount can be fatal, especially to children. Accidental exposure, whether through ingestion, skin contact, or inhalation, poses a grave risk, with children being particularly vulnerable due to their smaller body size and developing systems.”