FIRESTONE, Colo. — A mother faces charges after her 12-year-old daughter died of a fentanyl overdose in May, Weld County prosecutors said.
Mystique Wadena, 30, is charged with child abuse resulting in death and distribution of a controlled substance, both felonies.
According to an arrest affidavit, around 7 p.m. May 2, first responders were called to a hotel room at the Comfort Suites on Business Park Circle in Firestone on a report of a 12-year-old girl who was not breathing and not responsive. Wadena had made the 911 call, police said.
First responders transported the victim to the hospital. She never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead May 7, police said.
An autopsy concluded the girl died of complications related to acute fentanyl toxicity.
Prosecutors said police determined Wadena had been using and dealing fentanyl from her hotel room. She had arranged to have her three children, who were not in her legal custody, brought to the room for a visit the night before the 911 call, prosecutors said.
During the visit, investigators determined, two of the children smoked some of her fentanyl pills. In an interview, one child told investigators she and the victim had been smoking fentanyl since January, according to the affidavit. She told police they got the pills by stealing them from Wadena or from a cousin.
The girl told police she and the victim had smoked fentanyl in the hotel room twice on May 2. She said the victim provided the pill, which she had gotten by going through Wadena's bag, which was in the room.
Wadena was taken into custody Wednesday. She was set to appear in court Thursday afternoon.
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