A Baton Rouge mother is sentenced to life in prison after her two-year-old son died from a Fentanyl overdose. Five weeks ago, 31-year-old Whitney Ard was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2022 death of Mitchell Robinson the Third. Ard’s attorneys argued their client should have been tried for negligent homicide instead of murder. But East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore says a mother should never allow her child to be exposed to such dangerous drugs.
“Whether intentional or not this is criminally negligent to allow a child to overdose when you have brought in the most powerful drug around into your house and allow a child to have access,” Moore said.
Mitchell was hospitalized two other times after overdosing on fentanyl-laced opioids before he finally died from the drugs. The Department of Children of Family Services were notified, but the state agency didn’t act fast enough to get the child out of the house.
“The jury did not find that DCFS did not do anything wrong in this matter. I know that’s what the allegations were. They found that this woman who was responsible for her child is responsible for his death.” Moore said.
In November of 2022, the Secretary for the DCFS at that time, Marketa Garner Walters, resigned as a result of this case and another Baton Rouge infant also dying from a drug overdose.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for effective measures to protect vulnerable children and address the broader opioid epidemic. Moore says Ard will likely appeal.
“I thought the judge did a very good job and laid out the position on why she thought life in prison is the appropriate sentence, which it is,” Moore said.
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