A Florida woman has been charged with child abuse and neglect, as well as drug charges after police allegedly found 34,000 lethal doses of fentanyl in hidden in her baby’s crib.
Rebecca Turner, 35, was arrested after police executed a search warrant on her home, Law & Crime reported.
“During the search warrant, investigators located a small yellow back [sic] in a baby crib, in the master bedroom, that contained personal documentation and clothing for Turner,” the Panama City Police Department (PCPD) wrote in an affidavit-complaint obtained by the outlet. “Within the bag, investigators located a baby formal [sic] can that contained several plastic baggies with different substances.”
The bags were field-tested and alleged to contain multiple doses of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. One bag reportedly contained “a green leafy substance.”
The PCPD said in a press release that the drugs were discovered during a child abuse investigation. Detectives were notified by the Florida Department of Children and Families last Wednesday that Turner was possibly abusing her child. Authorities investigated and charged Turner “with two counts of child abuse and violation of probation,” the PCPD said.
Detectives and members of the PCPD’s Street Crimes Unit walked through Turner’s residence and secured a warrant. That’s when investigators found the bags inside the baby’s crib. According to the PCPD, the bag contained:
- Multi-colored pills that field tested positive for both methamphetamine and fentanyl.
- A crystal substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine.
- A white substance that field tested positive for cocaine.
- A green substance that field tested positive for fentanyl.
- A small black scale and the suspect’s identification card.
“The amount of fentanyl confiscated equals more than 34,000 lethal doses of the drug. In all, more than 76 grams of methamphetamine were confiscated, along with more than 21 grams of marijuana,” the PCPD reported.
In addition to the child abuse charges, Turner was also “charged with trafficking in fentanyl, trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of narcotic equipment,” according to the PCPD.
Law & Crime reported that the child abuse charges are part of a separate affidavit, which noted:
In June 2021 the [redacted] victim was seen by the Children’s Advocacy Center for physical injury, including multiple bruises were in see [sic] on his inner thighs and behind his knee, places where a child the victim’s age would not normally get injured from a fall or from playing.
In January 2022 the victim was seen by the Department of Children and Families due to a report of abuse. The victim, now [redacted], had bruises all over his body and patterned bruises on his back and thigh. Two witnesses provided sworn, recorded statements on how they have seen the defendant hit the victim, including with objects like a kitchen spoon and a cell phone.
Turner allegedly told police that the child “runs into walls, falls off beds and counter tops” but could not explain the “patterned bruising on his thighs.” Turner also allegedly withheld food and water from the child.