Overland woman charged after child dies from fentanyl overdose

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - A woman was charged Thursday after a child died from a drug overdose in Overland.

According to the Overland Police Department, the incident occurred on Oct. 3., involving a 14-year-old child.

Officials say the suspect, Jacquelyn Powers (age not provided), gave the child a pill she found in her drawer after the 14-year-old had complained of a toothache. Ten hours later, the child was found dead.

According to officials, Powers told police that she thought the pill was an oxycodone from a previous surgery she had. After an autopsy was conducted, officials determined that the child had died from a fentanyl overdose and tested negative for the presence of oxycodone.

Powers told police that she had traded some oxycodone to her mom in exchange for pills her mom had bought on the street in an effort to "protect" her mom from dangerous pills. Powers had placed those pills in a drawer, officials say.

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Powers with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child – death of a child. A warrant has been issued for her arrest.