Joseph Compton told investigators he “tried to be as safe as possible” when he used fentanyl-laced heroin around his one-year-old son. It wasn’t enough. The toddler was exposed and overdosed.
Tessa Vorlicky admitted to using fentanyl during her pregnancy, but was allowed to take her baby home without agreeing to seek treatment. Eventually her one-year-old daughter ingested fentanyl residue left on tinfoil and died.
These were just two of the tragedies highlighted by KARE 11 this week in an investigative report. In total, at least 23 children have died from ingesting fentanyl since 2020.
Safe Passage was interviewed as part of the station’s two-part series, which raised questions about whether the state should be doing more to protect children from fentanyl exposure in the home. Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) was also interviewed.
This year Safe Passage advocated for a bill that would make it a felony to knowingly cause or permit children to be exposed to fentanyl. This bill recently passed.
We encourage you to read or watch the two-part series here:
Part 1: KARE 11 Investigates: Nearly 2 dozen MN babies and kids killed by fentanyl