South Florida couple faces long prison sentences in fentanyl death of baby
MIAMI - A South Florida couple is facing a minimum of 20 years in prison and for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a baby in 2022, officials said.
Samantha Yi, 32, pled guilty along with her boyfriend Darnell Mendez to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
Officials said Mendez, 31, pled guilty to the same offenses on July 25. Their guilty pleas follow a long-term joint investigation by the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after the death of a 10-month-old infant in Boynton Beach who ingested fentanyl.
According to federal prosecutors, back on March 31, 2022, PBSO responded to a 911 call of an infant in need of urgent medical care. The child was transported to Bethesda Hospital East in Boynton Beach, with her mother.
On April 1, 2022, the baby was transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, where the baby died.
Officials said an autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner determined that the baby's death was caused by fentanyl intoxication and that her manner of death was homicide.
The following investigation discovered fentanyl at the baby's home.
Prosecutors said the investigation determined that the baby's mother and father were addicts and had been abusing fentanyl regularly in the kitchen of their apartment.
Officials said the investigation also determined that the baby was teething and ingested fentanyl on March 31, 2022, while in the care of her mother, and while her father was at work. Subsequently, the mother was arrested by the BBPD and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence.
The couple faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years to a maximum sentence of life.
