Smith
Formal charges have been filed against the parents of a 3-year-old who are accused of neglect after their child’s opioid overdose.
Dakota Smith, 36, 3793 W. Suburban Ct., is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury as a Level 5 felony; possession of a narcotic drug as a Level 5 felony, and a Class C misdemeanor charge of possession of paraphernalia. If found guilty on all counts, she could receive up to 12 years in prison, as well as fines up to $20,500.
The father, Dennis D. Roberts, 46, is formally charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury as a Level 5 felony, and maintaining a common nuisance as a Level 6 felony. He could receive up to eight-and-a-half years in prison, as well as fines of up to $20,000 if found guilty on both counts.
Individual bonds for both Smith and Roberts were set at $50,000 surety or 10% cash. While Roberts was released after posting a $5,000 cash bond, Smith was still in the Bartholomew County Jail as of Thursday evening.
Shortly before noon on Friday, Jan. 17 , city police were sent to Columbus Fire Station 1, at 11th and Jackson streets, for a possible overdose. When officers arrived, they learned a 3-year-old child had been taken by medical personnel to the emergency room at Columbus Regional Hospital with symptoms of an opioid overdose, according to police.
Smith, who remained at the fire station, told officers she was asleep at home when she was awakened by the child, who had an old makeup compact in one hand, and was using the other hand to point to the mouth, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by police. Smith told investigators the compact was previously used to store her illegal narcotics, according to court documents.
The mother said she called 911 and was driving the child to the emergency room while she saw the toddler had either fallen asleep or lost consciousness, the affidavit states. That prompted Smith to stop at the fire station and allow medics to administer immediate emergency care, Kummer wrote.
Medics later advised officers the child was responsive to naloxone, an emergency nasal treatment for overdose victims that is widely referred to by the brand name Narcan, according to the affidavit. A blood sample from the child taken at Columbus Regional Hospital returned positive for fentanyl, according to court documents.
After Roberts arrived at the hospital and talked briefly to investigators, he drove to his home near Tipton Lakes and found more detectives outside the house, according to the affidavit.
After a search warrant was obtained, Roberts first told officers he had marijuana in the residence before he began talking about the mother’s history of drug use, according to court documents.
The residential search yielded marijuana and THC wax, a consumable product containing concentrated levels of chemicals from the cannabis plant, the court document states.
Officers also found burnt aluminum foil with burnt residue, a suboxone pill, and a multi-colored glass smoking device with burnt residue, according to the affidavit.
Investigators said the residence was in poor condition with trash scattered among the rooms. The detective also reported there was feces on the walls in the bathroom that were smeared with hand prints.
Roberts was booked into the Bartholomew County Jail at 8:16 p.m. Monday. The initial hearing for both Smith and Roberts has been scheduled for the same time and date: 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 19.
The child was treated and later released from the hospital.
Roberts
