A Milwaukee mother is now facing homicide and child-neglect charges after a toxicology report found multiple drugs tied to the death of her 3-month-old son. According to a criminal complaint, a baby bottle used for the infant’s last feeding tested positive for fentanyl, and the child’s blood showed morphine and xylazine. Prosecutors say a medical examiner ruled the death a homicide and the mother has been booked on serious charges.
Charges and Investigation
The woman, identified in the complaint as 31-year-old Tashae Goodman, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide and chronic neglect of a child, consequence is death. Police say Goodman called 911 on March 22 at about 3:41 a.m. after finding the baby unresponsive at a home near 19th Street and Fairmount Avenue. First responders pronounced the child dead at the scene, according to WISN 12 News.
Toxicology and Medical Ruling
Investigators collected a baby bottle that Goodman identified as the one used for the infant’s last feeding and sent it for toxicology testing. The complaint says a report returned on April 30 found fentanyl in the bottle and morphine and xylazine in the child’s blood. A doctor concluded that the 3-month-old’s death was the result of mixed drugs and ruled the death a homicide, according to the complaint, per WISN 12 News. The filing also notes interviews in which Goodman allegedly told detectives she used Percocet during pregnancy and later said she did not use it after the child was born.
Why Xylazine Matters
Xylazine is a veterinary sedative that is not approved for human use. When it is mixed with opioids such as fentanyl, it can deepen sedation and make resuscitation more difficult, and it is increasingly being detected in the illicit drug supply. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has warned about the shifting drug market, distributed xylazine test strips statewide and renewed a naloxone standing order for pharmacies to help communities respond. Federal health officials have also issued a health advisory about new veterinary sedatives appearing in the illegal fentanyl supply, underscoring how quickly adulterants can change clinical risk and response.
What Comes Next
Prosecutors say Goodman agreed to an interview with detectives on May 15 and that the complaint includes allegations about missed school pickups and a May 12 overdose in which she was revived with naloxone. She is scheduled to appear in Milwaukee court this week. First-degree reckless homicide in Wisconsin is a Class B felony, which state law treats as an especially serious criminal charge, and the case is expected to move through arraignment and any pretrial proceedings next.
Anyone needing help with substance use or looking for resources related to overdose prevention can find state guidance and test-strip distribution information from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, which also lists local connections and helplines for people seeking treatment or support.
