On Tuesday, detectives with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team revived a 1-year-old in Winnemucca who had stopped breathing after ingesting fentanyl, according to authorities. Officers administered naloxone and performed CPR at the apartment before the child was transported to Humboldt General Hospital for further care. Police say the child’s mother left the scene and later collided with a commercial vehicle on Interstate 80 while attempting to evade officers.
How Detectives Saved the Child
Detectives with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team, a regional unit including Nevada State Police investigators and local sheriff and city officers, were first on the scene and began chest compressions while administering multiple doses of naloxone, according to 8 News Now. The child reportedly required a second dose before beginning to breathe and was then taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Authorities said the ingestion occurred inside an apartment in the Weso Street area of Winnemucca.
Mother Fled and Crash Under Investigation
Winnemucca police say the child’s mother drove away from the apartment in a black sedan and did not stop for a traffic enforcement attempt. While trying to evade officers, she collided with a tractor-trailer on I‑80, local reports indicate. The woman, identified by outlets as 31-year-old Lesley Keever, was taken to a hospital and later booked on multiple charges, including driver evading, child abuse or neglect, and possession of a controlled substance in the presence of a child, as per KOLO. The Winnemucca Police Department is leading the investigation, with Nevada State Police also examining the crash.
Broader Trend: Fentanyl Exposures Among Children
Public health data indicate that fentanyl is increasingly involved in pediatric poisonings and emergency department visits, as reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis of overdose trends. Research and guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics have also noted significant increases in fentanyl exposures among young children and recommend considering naloxone in cases of unexplained pediatric respiratory arrest. Health officials advise families to secure medications and seek immediate medical attention if exposure is suspected.
What Medical Experts Recommend
Pediatric guidance emphasizes that naloxone can be life-saving but provides only temporary reversal and does not replace hospital evaluation and monitoring, according to recent guidance in Pediatrics. Clinicians recommend keeping all medications and drug paraphernalia out of children’s reach, recognizing the signs of opioid exposure, and calling 911 immediately if a child becomes unresponsive or has difficulty breathing. Local authorities ask anyone with information about the Winnemucca incident to contact the Winnemucca Police Department as the investigation continues.
Legal Notes
Arrest reports and a Winnemucca Police Department news release, as summarized by local media, list multiple bookings and investigation codes but do not determine guilt; prosecutors will decide whether to file charges under Nevada law. Potential exposure of children to controlled substances can prompt both criminal investigations and child-welfare actions, depending on findings by law enforcement and social-services agencies. The I‑80 crash is being investigated separately by Nevada State Police.
