VERNON, Conn. (AP) - A Connecticut man whose 6-month-old baby nearly died after being exposed to fentanyl in January turned himself into police.
Nicholas Rodriguez, 38, was charged with five offenses Thursday, including risk to injury to a child in connection to his baby’s apparent overdose on Jan. 26, The Hartford Courant reported.
Paramedics had called authorities to report a baby in “extreme respiratory distress” before taking the child to the hospital where doctors determined the child was overdosing on fentanyl, Lt. William Meier said.
The drug is a powerful opioid painkiller that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin.
The baby received “life-saving measures”and was released from the hospital after several days of treatment and recovery, Meier said.
Rodriguez had used the cap of a water bottle to prepare his drugs for injection on the morning of Jan. 26 and the child’s mother then used that bottle to prepare the baby formula without knowing, an investigation by Vernon detectives and child welfare authorities found.
A search of the family’s home uncovered suspected heroin packaging, drug paraphernalia, several of the baby’s bottles and the suspected water bottle.
Rodriguez turned himself in after learning that detectives had prepared an arrest warrant for him, Meier said.
It was unclear if he had a lawyer representing him.
Rodriguez was released after posting a $50,000 bond. His arraignment was scheduled for Friday morning at Superior Court in Hartford.
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