In a heartbreaking incident in Missouri, a mother’s attempt to alleviate her daughter’s pain with street-purchased pills led to serious consequences. J. Powers, a 35-year-old mother, faces charges of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, resulting in death, for giving her 14-year-old daughter a lethal quantity of fentanyl, mistaking it for oxycodone.
The incident, which occurred last month, has left the community and authorities in shock. Court documents show that on October 3, 2024, the juvenile victim, identified only as “VT” in court filings, complained of toothache. In reaction, Powers reportedly gave her daughter a pill she discovered in a drawer and claimed to have received from a previous surgery. Unfortunately, the adolescent died about 10 hours later from a fentanyl overdose; an autopsy revealed no oxycodone in her system.
The police inquiry into the incident uncovered a problematic series of judgments made by Powers. According to the probable cause affidavit, Powers revealed to investigators that she had swapped her prescription oxycodone with her mother for pills purchased on the street. She kept these medications in a drawer and accidentally gave one to her daughter that fateful day. This error of judgment originated from her desire to “protect” her mother from the perils of street-bought drugs, an irony that resulted in tragedy.
Police uncovered more street narcotics in Powers’ home, as well as other minor children, complicating the situation and perhaps leading to additional arrests and investigations. Police issued an arrest warrant and apprehended Powers at her residence. The county jail is currently holding her on a $150,000 cash-only bond. Her court proceedings will continue with a bond hearing on November 19 and a preliminary hearing on December 11.
Captain J. Morgan expressed his dismay at the situation, saying, “This is tragic.” This should not happen. She is 14 years old and has a long future ahead of her.” The case not only exposes the serious risks involved with drug abuse, but it also emphasizes the enormous duty that parents bear in protecting their children’s health and wellbeing.
This episode serves as a sobering reminder of the opioid crisis’s scope and capacity to destroy lives, even when attempting to treat something as minor as a toothache. The community and the victim’s family are left to grieve a young life tragically cut short, while the court system works through the complexities of a case laced with good intentions but tainted by deadly error.