In Rowan County, an infant was hospitalized after being exposed to fentanyl, triggering a swift response from the Rowan County Sheriff's Office. The critical incident unfolded on Saturday, July 20, when deputies received a distressing 911 call at approximately 2:58 p.m. reporting an 11-month-old child, found unconscious and not breathing at a residence on Sides Road near Rockwell. Emergency services acted hastily, administering Narcan to the infant, which is used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, before transporting the child to a local medical center for treatment.
The parents of the child, Jamie Robertson and James Danielson, have been arrested and are confronting charges related to the incident. Robertson and Danielson have both been charged with felony neglect child abuse-serious bodily injury, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. QC News reports that after awaking to find the baby struggling to breathe, an investigation by deputies revealed that the couple had injected fentanyl while in bed with the baby before falling asleep.
As per WSOCTV, officials arrived at the scene to find the mother running out of a camper, holding the unconscious infant. The harrowing scene confirmed the gravity of the opioid crisis and its reach into even the smallest and most vulnerable lives among us.
According to a Salisbury Post article, Captain Mark McDaniel, the public information officer with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office, highlighted the serious nature of the event, stating that the infant had suffered cardiac arrest due to the suspected fentanyl exposure. The conditions at the residence were described as unsanitary, with drug paraphernalia, drug residue, and uncapped syringes strewn about, providing a stark and chilling tableau of the incident.
