A Pierce County woman has been charged with manslaughter following the tragic death of her 5-year-old son due to fentanyl toxicity. As reported by KING5, 32-year-old Jordan Shank was arrested after her son was found unresponsive at their Puyallup home and pronounced dead on March 13. Shank reportedly told Pierce County Sheriff's Office deputies that she discovered her son with "blue lips" and not breathing in the early hours.
The boy, identified by the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office as Brentlee Lawrence, had shown clear signs of distress. According to a news release, his mother went to bed with him at around 7 p.m. and was awoken to the horrific scene several hours later. At her arraignment, Shank was assigned a not-guilty plea, and Judge Pro Tempore Jerry Costello set her bail at $750,000, as highlighted by coverage from The News Tribune. Prosecutor Dalton Smith commented on the dire conditions of Shank's home, stating it had "no running water" and was "in complete disrepair." Smith also noted that Shank admitted to using fentanyl while pregnant with Brentlee.
The involvement of Child Protective Services (CPS) and the details surrounding the boy's care leading up to his death remain largely unspoken; The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) cited privacy laws as the reason for their silence in the matter, as reported by KOMO News. Brentlee's father was also present in the home when the boy was discovered, yet he currently faces no charges. The Pierce County Sheriff's Office has not provided a reason but has communicated that they continue actively investigating the case.
