In an incident that unfolded over the weekend, a 5-year-old child has died after ingesting methamphetamine in a Riviera Beach hotel room. According to CBS12, the Riviera Beach Police Department reported that they were called to the Sands Hotel & Resort at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Sunday regarding a child not breathing. On arrival, officers found the child receiving medical attention from paramedics and was subsequently taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in critical condition where the child sadly passed away shortly thereafter.
The child's mother, identified as 37-year-old Heather Opsincs, was later arrested and is facing charges of aggravated manslaughter. She is presently booked into the Palm Beach County Jail. The initial investigation suggested that Opsincs had left her child alone in the room, providing an opportunity for the child to accidentally consume the drug. According to a Sun-Sentinel report, Opsincs left her child alone in the hotel room, “where the child was able to access and ingest methamphetamine,” stated the release. This prompted an immediate response from the Riviera Beach Police, who are now continuing their investigation into the case.
The incident has inevitably drawn comparisons to another recent case, earlier this year, where a Lake Worth Beach woman was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison following her role in selling fentanyl. In that incident, a mother's infant consumed the opioid and died in Boynton Beach in 2022. The woman's boyfriend received a 30-year sentence for his involvement.
Further details about the case are expected to be released as the investigation progresses, with a focus on holding those responsible accountable for the loss.
