MILWAUKEE - A 35-year-old Milwaukee woman is accused of exposing a 1-year-old child to fentanyl while that child was in her care. The accused is Erika Harvey – and she faces a criminal count of neglecting a child-consequence is bodily harm. However, Harvey is not in police custody.
Case details
What we know:
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police detectives responded to Children's Wisconsin on Jan. 27, regarding a possible victim of child neglect. The child, a 1-year-old, had been in the care of a daycare provider, the defendant, Erika Harvey.
The detectives learned that around 7:45 a.m. on Jan. 27, the defendant showed up at the child's home to pick the child up for the day. The child's mother got the child dressed and ready to leave, and then the defendant placed the child in a car seat and left.
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The complaint says detectives were able to observe surveillance footage from the defendant's residence inside the living room. They were able to see the child "falling asleep and lying on the defendant's chest and stomach area," the complaint says. Around 9:23 a.m., the complaint says the defendant carried the child into a room and placed her on a bed. The defendant can be seen exiting the bedroom and re-entering the living room at 9:24 a.m. About five minutes later, the defendant's voice can be heard, "sounding as if she was in a panic," the complaint says. The defendant then called 911.
The child was taken to Children's Wisconsin, was provided a dose of Narcan, and then admitted to the emergency room. While in the ER, the child was provided two additional doses of Narcan. The complaint says the child "did test positive for fentanyl in her system."
What they're saying:
The defendant denied using drugs "other than smoking marijuana once in a while. She stated there were no narcotics inside of her residence," the complaint says. The defendant reported another adult had recently slept over, and detectives indicated that person had a history of drug-related convictions, the complaint says.
According to the criminal complaint, the defendant "reported that when (the child) was on her bed, she noticed that her leg was limp and her toes were curled." The defendant noted the child's breathing sounded abnormal, and the child was unresponsive.
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The mother of the child told the detectives that the defendant runs a daycare out of her home and has been doing so for approximately two years. The mom reported that "when the doctor told them that (the child) tested positive for fentanyl in her urine, the defendant remained quiet and did not state anything," the complaint says.
The complaint indicates the child suffered "acute respiratory failure." Another provider noted that "exposure to fentanyl places a child's health and well-being at significant risk, up to and including death," the complaint says.
What's next:
While Harvey is charged in this case, she is not in police custody. A warrant has been issued for her arrest.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Wisconsin Circuit Court Access and the criminal complaint associated with this case.