LA mom charged after twins die at home after possible fentanyl OD (2024)

The mother of twin toddlers is facing murder charges after her three-year-old sons died from alleged exposure of drugs laced with fentanyl.

Jestice James, 22, was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of child abuse after her twins - Josiah and Jestine- were found unresponsive at their home in Canoga Park, Calif. on July 11.

The three-year-old twins were unresponsive when paramedics arrived at the apartment where James was with her boyfriend and her family.

The boys were rushed to a nearby hospital, but family members said it was too late. Josiah, the older of the twins, died later that night, while Jestine died two days later.

Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami told DailyMail.com James' case is the first inLos Angeles County where a parent has been charged with deaths related to alleged fentanyl overdose, which is becoming a 'disturbing trend'.

Jestice James, 22, with her twins Jestine, left, and Josiah, right. The young mother has been charged with two counts of murder and two counts of child abuse/endangerment under circ*mstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily harm or death, according to prosecutors

Jestine, left, and Josiah, right, were always full of energy and loved to give hugs, their cousins said

The veteran prosecutor would not go into detail as to how the twins were exposed to fentanyl pending the ongoing investigation.

However, Hatami said there has been four other similar cases of children exposed to fentanyl in LA County within the past six months.

'Children are out most vulnerable,' Hatami said. 'They don't buy fentanyl and they don't smoke it. Adults are doing that but it is the innocent children who are paying the ultimate price. It's unacceptable.

'When it comes to fentanyl exposure, we need to do everything we can to protect the innocent children.'

James looked visibly distraught as she appeared at a Van Nuys courthouse on Tuesday afternoon, while a handful of her family members sat in the court audience.

The young mother struggled to hold back tears as her mother, LaTina Allen, mouthed, 'I love you,' to her from across the courtroom.

James will remain in county jail in lieu of a $4 million bail. She is scheduled to appear back in court July 31 once an attorney is assigned to her case.

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The young mom, seen here on an Instagram post, could face life in prison if found guilty of the charges

Paramedics who responded to the 911 call to the family's Canoga Park apartment found the twins unresponsive

Family members who attended Tuesday's hearing said James is a doting mother who would not place her beloved sons in any harm.

They boys recently celebrated their birthday and were at the beach during the July Fourth holiday celebrating with family.

The twins were rushed to a nearby hospital on July 11. Josiah, the older twin, passed away the same day while his brother died two days later

'Juju' and 'Jojo' just celebrated their third birthday on July 9. 'They still had a long life to live but unfortunately they were taken to soon, too young,' one family member said

Family photos obtained by DailyMail.com showed a smiling James with her two boys.

Josiah, the older of the two, was a curious boy who was 'very smart' and always inquisitive, said Allen.

Although Jestine was the younger brother, he always 'made sure his older brother Jojo was OK because he was a little bit bigger', their grandma said.

The family has set up a GoFundMe for funeral costs for the boys.

Hatami said most fatal opioid exposure of children happens at the family home.

'Home should always be the safe place for a child, but most unintentional pediatric exposure to illicit fentanyl happens in the child's home. We need more education, more awareness and more accountability regarding the dangers of fentanyl as it relates to innocent babies and toddlers.'

The twin's godmother, Regina Holmes, said their family is heartbroken over the young boys' deaths and are also grappling with their mother's 'terrible decision'.

'This is really hard for the family,' Holmes said. 'We want to bring awareness about fentanyl.

'We want anyone who has a family member, friend or associate who is indulging in that particular drug to know that it is a fatal drug. We lost Juju and Jojo.'

LA mom charged after twins die at home after possible fentanyl OD (2024)

FAQs

LA mom charged after twins die at home after possible fentanyl OD? ›

Jestice James, 22, is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of child abuse in the deaths of her sons, Josiah and Jestine, according to the L.A. County district attorney. She is being held in jail in lieu of $4-million bail.

What does fentanyl do to a baby? ›

Fentanyl used around the time of delivery can affect the baby after birth. The baby may be 'jittery', have feeding problems, and initially need some help with breathing. These problems usually settle within the first few days.

What happens when someone dies from fentanyl? ›

When an individual overdoses on fentanyl (or other opioids), they typically show signs of over-sedation and their breathing slows or stops, which decreases the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, and causes a condition called hypoxia. Hypoxia can lead to brain injury, coma, and death.

Did a child in daycare die of fentanyl? ›

Felix Herrera Garcia fled the Bronx day care while children overdosed. The husband of the owner of the New York City day care where a 1-year-old died of fentanyl poisoning pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges, officials said.

What does fentanyl look like? ›

Powdered fentanyl looks like many other drugs, and is commonly mixed with heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Fentanyl is often pressed into pills resembling common prescription opioids, such as Percocet and oxycodone. It is often extremely difficult to distinguish the counterfeit pills from the authentic pills.

What are the facial features of fentanyl patients? ›

The physical findings, including microcephaly and decreased growth, facial features with ptosis, short and anteverted nasal tip, micrognathia, cleft palate, single palmar crease, short thumb, 2,3 toe syndactyly, genital anomalies, and dysgenesis of the corpus callosum resemble those of SLOS.

What interacts with fentanyl? ›

Drug Interactions
  • Levoketoconazole.
  • Mifepristone.
  • Nalmefene.
  • Naltrexone.
  • Safinamide.
  • Samidorphan.

How long does it take to react to fentanyl? ›

You are also at a higher risk of overdose with fentanyl than with other opioids. It can be lethal. Life-threatening effects can occur within 2 minutes of use.

What causes death in an opioid overdose? ›

Why can an opioid overdose cause death? The main cause of death from an opioid overdose is respiratory failure (you stop breathing). This happens because the opioids negatively affect the part of your brain that's responsible for breathing.

What are the symptoms of being exposed to fentanyl? ›

Signs and Symptoms

The biological effects of Fentanyl are identical to those of heroin, such as pinpoint pupils, shallow breathing, dizziness, confusion, etc.

Which child star had a fentanyl overdose? ›

Actor Austin Majors, pictured at the 2005 Young Artist Awards, died of “fentanyl toxicity.” He was 27. Former child actor Austin Majors, who starred in the ABC series “NYPD Blue,” died of a fentanyl overdose, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has determined.

Did a toddler die from fentanyl in Florida? ›

The toddler, Daltin Miller, was found dead on March 1 in a home on 28th Lane in Ocala. Further investigation revealed that the baby had an overdose after eating fentanyl, methamphetamine and xylazine, a horse tranquilizer also known as "tranq" that's commonly added to fentanyl to enhance the effects, Lt.

How can I tell if a drug has fentanyl in it? ›

Fentanyl cannot be detected by sight, taste, smell or touch. Knowing if the drugs you plan to use contain fentanyl can lower your risk of overdose. What are fentanyl test strips? Test strips can tell you if your drugs contain fentanyl but not how much fentanyl there is or how strong it is.

Does fentanyl cause brain damage? ›

In other words, inhaling fentanyl caused large sections of white matter in the patient's brain to become inflamed to the point where he had lost consciousness and risked irreversible loss of brain function, or possibly death.

What is the new fentanyl law? ›

Passed House (05/25/2023) This bill permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

What happens if a child takes fentanyl? ›

Signs of Opioid Overdose or Poisoning

Children and teens who ingest fentanyl can become sleepy or lose consciousness completely. Their breathing becomes very shallow and weak.

What are the side effects of fentanyl in childbirth? ›

No serious maternal adverse effects, including hypotension, apnea, or respi- ratory desaturation, were observed. The most common minor adverse effects were sleepiness and dizziness. Four women in each group experienced dizziness at 30 minutes after drug administration, but only 1 received anti- dizziness medication.

What can opioids do to babies? ›

Between 55% and 94% of babies born to mothers addicted to or treated with opioids while pregnant may develop neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), according to a 2016 New England Journal of Medicine article. Common signs of NAS include tremors, poor feeding, breathing problems, and fever.

Is fentanyl in epidural safe for babies? ›

The overall risks for your baby are low. As with systemic analgesia, use of opioids in an epidural block increases the risk that your baby will experience a change in heart rate, breathing problems, drowsiness, reduced muscle tone, and reduced breastfeeding. These effects are short term.

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