By Bonnie Culverhouse
A Minden woman has been arrested and charges are pending on a second person in the death of a baby.
Stephanie N. Lowery, 26, of the 100 block of Pine Street, was taken into custody Monday and charged with negligent homicide. The autopsy report shows her child died from Fentanyl intoxication.
Minden Police Chief Steve Cropper said his officers were dispatched to Minden Medical Center one month ago in reference to the death of a 7-month-old male.
“The parents were both at the ER and were interviewed,” Cropper said. “They said they placed the infant in the bed with them and had given him a pacifier.”
The father reportedly said he awakened approximately an hour after they all had gone to bed and the infant still had the pacifier in his mouth.
“When the mother awakened, she discovered the infant was not responsive, and they took him to the hospital,” said the chief.
Monday, June 27, Lowery came to Minden Police Department for a second interview.
“She indicated she and the baby’s father were crushing a pill laced with Fentanyl and snorting it,” Cropper said. “Lowery remembered the baby’s father crushing a pill for her but could not remember if she snorted it prior to going to sleep.”
The father of the infant is currently in a rehabilitation facility in Florida, the chief said. Possible charges against him are still being investigated.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
