An Oregon grandmother is accused of exposing her 10-month-old granddaughter to fentanyl after passing out in her parked car from her own alleged fentanyl use, according to police.
A Tigard police officer who was patrolling the Tigard Plaza Shopping Center on Friday found Portland resident Julia Apostello, 53, asleep in her car with drug paraphernalia “out in plain view” with the 10-month-old baby girl in a car seat in the backseat, KPTV reported. The officer reportedly saw the unlicensed Jeep parked and running at about 10:35 p.m.
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The officer woke up Apostello and arrested her, according to the report. Officers learned she was the child’s grandmother and also later identified the substance in the car as fentanyl.
“The baby’s mother who was inside a nearby business with her 4-year-old child at the time, was contacted by officers. She returned to the Jeep and told officers she had been gone for roughly half an hour,” according to the report.
The baby was transported to the hospital for a wellness check after being exposed to the drugs. Officials confirmed the baby tested positive for fentanyl and was treated at the hospital.
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Tigard police said the child is in stable condition and was released from officer supervision over the weekend, according to the report.
Apostello was booked into the Washington County Jail and is facing charges for criminal mistreatment, two counts of child neglect, endangering the welfare of a minor, two counts of criminal mistreatment, and recklessly endangering, according to the report.
“To believe a 10-month-old is around a drug like that is outrageous,” said Nick Haywood, who works in the plaza. “It’s one of the deadliest drugs out there and it doesn’t take a lot to kill someone.”