Ohio Mother Wanted by Police After 17-Month-Old Daughter Dies from Fentanyl Poisoning Despite Court-Ordered Visitation Restrictions

A heartbreaking case in Ohio has left a family facing serious criminal charges after a 17-month-old girl died from fentanyl poisoning. The child’s mother, who had reportedly been prohibited by a court order from having unsupervised visits with her daughter, is now wanted by police. The girl’s maternal grandmother, who had legal custody of the toddler, has also been charged in connection with the death.

According to the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office, emergency responders were called to a home in Orient, Ohio, at approximately 11:14 a.m. on October 13, 2026, after receiving a report that a young child was not breathing. Paramedics began performing CPR before rushing the toddler to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. Despite emergency efforts, the little girl was pronounced dead later that morning.

An autopsy conducted the following day revealed that the child had a fatal amount of fentanyl in her system, authorities said. Investigators subsequently searched the residence where she had been found and collected evidence as they worked to establish how the powerful synthetic opioid had entered the toddler’s body and the circumstances surrounding her death.

The investigation brought renewed attention to the family’s custody arrangements. Authorities said the child had been placed in the court-ordered custody of her maternal grandmother, 52-year-old Tammy Stroud. The toddler’s mother, 30-year-old Brittany M. Stroud, was reportedly prohibited from having unsupervised contact with her daughter. Investigators are examining the circumstances in which the child was being cared for before the fatal incident.

On October 16, authorities filed charges against both women. Brittany faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, endangering children, and possession of a controlled substance. Her mother, Tammy, faces charges of complicity in involuntary manslaughter, complicity in endangering children, and complicity in possession of a controlled substance. Arrest warrants were issued for both women as the investigation progressed.

Tammy Stroud surrendered to the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office on October 18 and appeared in court the following day. Her bond was set at $250,000. Brittany, however, remained at large as of the sheriff’s office’s October 19 announcement, prompting authorities to seek information about her whereabouts.

The case raises painful questions about how a child so young could have been exposed to a fatal amount of fentanyl and whether the safeguards intended to protect her were adequately followed. However, investigators have not publicly established all the circumstances that led to the poisoning, and the charges against both women remain allegations that must be addressed through the legal process.

For a child who had barely begun to explore the world, the outcome is devastating. At just 17 months old, she depended entirely on the adults around her for care and protection. As authorities continue their investigation and search for the child’s mother, the case serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers posed by accidental or otherwise unexplained exposure to powerful drugs, particularly for young children who cannot recognize or escape those risks.

Source: PEOPLE